#i could open-carry the moment i bought the gun

[beingatoaster]

thinking about the fact that the neighbor of our new barn is a MAGA hyper-evangelist and we're mostly flaming liberals and. what if I renewed my concealed-carry permit

[scarletttries]

When Fallout Characters Fall In Love... (Fallout Show Request)

Pairings: Cooper Howard/The Ghoul x Reader, Maximus x Reader, Norm x Reader

Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has sent in a request for the Fallout show, please keep them coming as this is definitely the show that I'm thinking about the most at the moment! Also let me know if you want a part two of these headcanons or something similar :)

The Ghoul:

- Cooper Howard couldn't put his finger on exactly when he had accepted that the life he now led would be one devoid of love, but it was a hollow feeling he carried in his chest wherever the wasteland took him. Maybe it was in the decades he'd spent wandering and gaining a reputation as a heartless cowboy without an ounce of mercy. Or the fact that he hadn't met anyone that had stirred up a single emotion inside him, fearing the aching betrayal of his wife would haunt him even as lifetimes passed. Maybe it came to him in the way he flinched each time he caught his reflection in the few unbroken windows he passed, flesh slowly forming caverns and creases where once there were only the faintest of lines that showed endless signs of life. The wasteland was no place for love. That's what he had decided.

- But even in the fall of civilization there's room for a surprise, and you were certainly one of those..

- He heard rumour of you before your bounty crossed his desk, a runaway scientist from a mysterious body known only as The Institute, a target to everyone for the sheer volume of classified knowledge you might possess.

- A life on the run was no easy one, and Cooper knew that better than anyone, so it didn't take long for him to track you down to a small town just on the outskirts of the radiation's no man's land. His gun was cocked as he strutted towards the half open door of the rundown house he'd narrowed your location down to, glancing at the poster in his hand one last time before he burst inside. Even from the poorly illustrated version of you, he could see your eyes were kind, almost hopeful, like you still believed science could make right what had gone so wrong in the last 200 years. He almost felt a tinge of guilt as he steeled himself for a fight, saying a silent prayer that you wouldn't be behind the walls in front of him.

- Stepping in carefully he expected traps, or an army of robots to jump to arms, but instead he found you travelling alone, a small satchel of papers clutched in your arms as you stared him down with a calm resolve that caught him more off guard than any weapon.

"Do you still believe there's hope for this world Mr Howard?" Your voice was soft, not the trembling fear he was so used to hearing. You stared up at him without a trace of disgust in your expression, your eyes locked on his as he considered your question, and then lowered his weapon.

"And what if I do?" His heart ached at the question, so hardened by years of cynicism that even the idea of hope and goodness were almost too heavy to bear. He felt more human than he had in years as you slowly inched towards him, the creaking floorboards beneath you cutting through a tense silence that had The Ghoul feeling like he was back on a movie set, everything so perfectly orchestrated to have his stomach in knots. And then you extended your hand to him and gave him the most genuine smile he could remember receiving in this whole sorry chapter of his after-life,

"Then I think we could really make a difference. Together." Your pip-boy screeched as his irradiated hand stretched out to reach yours, but you didn't flinch, gently squeezing the twisted flesh as you shook on what you bought felt in the depths of your souls was going to be a meaningful partnership.

- It would be a straight forward life trying to use your research to get the world back on track for there to be joy and peace again. But with The Ghoul by your side you can expect; a personal bodyguard who cares more about your safety than his own by far, a gleaming look of pride in his eyes any time you tell him which Cooper Howard film was your favourite, the slow and steady acceptance that he is still worthy of love even in his new twisted form, and Cooper being endlessly grateful that you are the person who wants to give that love to him.

Maximus:

- All Maximus had ever wanted was to be a knight of the Brotherhood. He wakes up every morning and does his best every day just to try and earn his spot in this family of welded metal and unflinching loyalty. It wasn't until you arrived on the base that he started to realise there were other ways he might form a family.

- A nearby village had been half destroyed by raiders until the Brotherhood stepped in, clearing out the violent scavengers and bringing anyone with skills they could utilise back to base for assessment. Maximus was sitting alone, nursing the most recent wounds inflicted by his so-called brothers when he watched you march in alongside two soldiers, the final evacuee of your faded community, a distance in your eyes that he felt akin with from his own home's destruction. You could feel his eyes on you before you spotted him, a rag damp with blood pressed to his nose as he sat huddled against a corrugated iron shack.

- Despite the sheer joylessness of the situation, Max couldn't stop himself from sporting a smile, waving at you like you had locked eyes across the schoolyard not some barren military base. Whatever he hoped for in that moment seemed to pay off as you waved back, a small laugh escaping your lips at the absurdity of his blood soaked grin. He watched as the knights around you escorted you to the medical tent for a check up, waiting until they left their guard posts beside you to sneak behind the off-white fabric, following some unknown instinct he'd never felt call to him before. You bolted upright where you perched on one of the medical beds as he appeared, visibly relaxing when you recognised him from outside and once again waving in his direction. His mouth worked faster than his brain in that moment, heart hammering in his chest as the words gushed out with his new found affections,

"I used to live in Shady Sands. I know what it's like to have your home destroyed, your family hurt, everything changing all at once. But you're safe here with the Brotherhood, and even if it doesn't feel like it today, things are going to be okay eventually. Also I'm Maximus and if you ever need to talk to someone, I'm, like, around all the time, and no one else really wants to talk to me so I'm probably going to be available... " He trailed off as he tried to recover what had ended up a far more embarrassing sentence than he'd hoped, his lungs burning as he realised he'd forgotten to take a breath through his whole winding spiel. But when you smiled at him any shame seemed to float away, and as you patted the bed and nodded for him to take a seat beside you, the once lonely squire suddenly felt much closer to finding a family than he had surrounded by his brothers.

- As you settle into life on the base, you and Maximus only grow closer. Expect; late nights of sneaking out of your dorm so you and Max can stare up the stars and plot your escape from this life, fantasising about what a life beyond these walls and this world could be like for the two of you, someone who has your back no matter how bad things get and how low you feel, and truly some of the most god awful flirting you will ever hear.

Norm:

- Growing up in the Vault, Norm had always been told the value of belonging to a community, and how everyone in the vault was just a big happy family. But none of that stopped Norm feeling like an outsider, like he didn't quite operate on the same wavelength as the rest of the cheerful strangers he shared his deep underground walls with. After a few of the annual exchanges between vaults, he had all but given up on hoping to meet anyone he felt he could actually feel close to.

- When his overseer father had finally decided it was his turn to continue the vault's legacy and be part of what Norm considered an archaic tradition of arranged marriages between the linked vaults, Norm couldn't have been more resistant. He pleaded for the council to reject his nomination, begging them not to force some young hopeful to be subjected to his notable lack of enthusiasm for the rest of their life in this dutiful swap, but with limited options of eligible young men, he soon found himself staring down the doors of your vault. The suit previously used by his fellow bachelors had been tailored to within an inch of its life to try and fit his slight frame, the shoulders still feeling like they hung off him, threatening to swallow him up along with ground as he watched the round door slowly start to roll open.

- He thought this whole thing was stupid and outdated, and he knew there was no way he could actually find someone to love and love him in return behind those doors, so why was his stomach so full of butterflies as slowly your face started to appear in the artificial light of Vault 33. He waited to see you throw him a false smile, going through the motions as much as he had planned to, or even a look of disappointment that he was not the man you had been picturing as the door crept open. Instead he really thought he saw sincerity in your eyes, a thoughtful understanding as he choked out his name, his stammering not going unnoticed by his sister who quietly chuckled behind him.

"It's really nice to meet you, Norm." You spoke each word with intention, like it wasn't just a rehearsed greeting but an honest confession that sent sparks flying in the air between you.

- Suddenly the pressure of matrimony didn't feel so all consuming. And maybe this system was more advanced than he had appreciated. And there might be a small chance that he wasn't destined to spend his life feeling like he was on the outside, that he might finally have someone that could take him as he is, darkness and light, for better or for worse.

- Whether you stay in the vaults, or make your move to the surface world, with Norm by your side you can expect: Sarcastic comments muttered under his breath at inopportune moments just to see the way you fail to contain your laughter, being the sounding board for all of each other's thoughts and feelings no matter how serious or silly they might be, Norm clinging to your side through everything knowing that he only feels himself when he's stood in your light, and being the one person Norm would do absolutely anything for, bringing out the bravery and intelligence that was always just below the surface of this sweet man.

[prwcess]

Under the floorboards

Mizu x fem!reader

warnings: SMUT!!!!! also blood, weaponry, fighting, and argument Lol!!!!

(reader believes Mizu is male)

The wood creaks under me and dirt tumbles around my ankles as i climb up from underneath the ancient home of a “Tanzaki”. Who knows who this man is, but as an assassin, i don’t think that’s my buisness.

I scurry through the surprisingly well kept tunnels as if a rat living under the floorboards, listening in to find several pairs of footsteps. Mainly from up ahead, yet it seems as through something’s .. sneaking up on me?

Drawing the illegally sold and bought european gun from my waist band and stand in silence, planning my next move as the steps get closer.

-

-

-

With no idea what to do as the door creaks open i aim the gun at the height of an average man’s head and steady my breathing, I hear the man draw a sword.

two steps.

two steps and i recognize those bright blue devil eyes.

I feel as though i’ve fallen into a trance, the familiar face rushing towards me causes no reaction. I lower the gun as i watch Mizu retreat.

“what are you doing here?” i ask, the last time i saw this man was after traveling with him place to place for a year, unknowing of his plans. I kept watch for new job opportunities, and once Mizu and I were done, we moved on to the next city. That was until we reached kyoto, where he disappeared leaving a trail of blood.

“i could ask you the same question.”

“well I-“

“why are you carrying that?” Mizu cuts me off and steps forward eyeing my gun, obviously brand new.

“I think i asked you a question first, did you leave all your etiquette back in kyoto?” i remark, genuinely forgetting the job I need to get done before sunrise.

“Im here to kill Tanazaki.”

he states quite plainly, the blank expression never quivering.

“well, i’m getting paid to do exactly that, and im not leaving here unless I do so myself.” i finish off and turn to step forward, ready to face whatever group of men in the next room, yet as I take a step I notice something… a lack of…

flooring.

I fall through into a darker and wider candle lit room, pillars on each side and walls with no doors.

coughing and hacking i look up as maxi climbs down under as well.

“don’t you have something you need to attend to?”

“you still talk a lot.” he mumbles examining our surroundings.

it seems as though there’s no exit, just one door in front, which i plan to let mizu explore as much as he wants.

I steady myself off the ground and attempt to launch myself off the wall to latch onto the ridges of the floor above, failing miserably.

“who’s there-..” i heard as my thud echoed throughout. Is that new? did they not hear my thud before? I loose myself in thought once more as I hear a creak. the hanging tapestries move and reveal a door. Something i should’ve been wary of before coming to kill the leader of a human chop shop.

As the newly discovered back door stained in blood creaked open I felt a quick jab to my waist up to my neck. Pulled behind a pillar with a hand around my neck and jaw and my mouth covered shut. In the moment, i lost my breath, a shiver falling down my spine from his cold touch. We listened in silence as 3 pairs of footsteps fell out the room, mumbles and chuckles. Do these men feel pity? Shame? Do they enjoy slaughtering innocent people to sell? The men fall into the next room and I pull my back off of Mizus chest, catching myself before i fall into a deep trance of thought.

i attempt stepping towards the bloody door, only to be held back by my wrist.

Without a word mizu let’s go and steps in front of me, waking towards the door. The room is empty. The remains of an old merchant lay on the table, filling the room with the scent of death.

“do you still care about what happened in kyoto?”

His sudden words perk me up,

what kind of question is that?

“did you care at all?” i snap, maybe a bit too hard on.

“i do.”

he says, facing away from me.

“you didn’t have the time to find me?”

i ask, truly curious why such a man would try to act like he cared.

“i think you stayed in the back of my mind. I have things to accomplish y/n.”

“interesting.” I look off to the side, acknowledging the old remains rotted to the bone, who knows who they could’ve been.

who knows what we could’ve been?

in just a flash i find mizu in front of me, staring down at me. “i need you.”

“excuse me?”

(Absolutely flabbergasted)

“travel with me again.”

“i need you, and your company.”

same full facial expression never faltered.

“maybe you just need my skill?” i find a smile on my face as I leaned against the bloody table, teasing the man who should clearly know Im accepting such an offer. No matter how angry I could’ve been i’ll always take an offer from Mizu.

“i want you, i don’t care about your weapons or your stealth.”

I watched him step closer and admired his hands as he rested them on my waist.

did he truly crave my touch or was he checking for another unknown weapon..?

as his cold hands made their way under my waistband i couldn’t help but give in to his touch, there’s no teasing or denying left for me.

“mizu…” I whisper softly, turning my head away to face the door.

“mm?”

his cold grasp releases one side of me and clutches my jaw turning me back to face him. Without hesitation he pressed a lustful kiss upon my lips and within nanoseconds the connection was back. Pushing him back slightly to create room never breaking said connection, I push myself on the table.

Mizus cold hands run deeper under my waistband, under the silk protecting me.

Before anything I open my eyes and put a hand against mizus chest,

“what about..” and without time to even notice the door Mizus spare knife is flung to stab the door shut.

[cursedkeyboard]

Babies shouldn't grow up ☆ Jason Todd & GN!Reader (PT.2)

What does Jason do after stealing a kid from Gotham's slums? Feed and give the little brat a home, of course. [PART ONE ♤ PART TWO ♤ PART THREE ♤ PART FOUR ♤ PART FIVE ♤ PART SIX]

pairings: Platonic Jason Todd & Child GN!Reader

To be completely honest, when Jason reached his apartment, he was panicking a little

The drive had been enough to clear his mind and he realized how impulsive he'd been

He is a damn vigilante, one with a hell of a reputation, and who's always messing with the baddest assholes of this city

Fuck, he's got guns and explosives in his house

But even with all the panic and rationality, Jason wasn't going to abandon you somewhere else

Orphanages were great places for villains to hit, the foster system might as well have been created by the joker, and no way in hell was he going to drop you at Bruce's

Anything but that

So he sucked it up and focused on your small voice full of wonder as you two drove through the city

"I didn't know there was so many tall buildings in Gotham!"

"That church is huge!"

"Holy shit is that a theater?! I only saw them in movies!"

At a certain point he was close to biting his fists in pure cuteness aggression

He knew exactly what you were feeling, could even picture your eyes glittering full of wonder behind the helmet

It didn't help his heart that your helmet also had comms, which were connected to his, so every single one of your little comments meant for yourself only were accidentally shared

Your Gotham accent was so thick too, born and raised in an area were the elite never tried to "cleanse"

Fuking adorable

Oh, also, he'd need to teach you not to follow strangers even if they were famous vigilantes

Because he realized how fucking dangerous it was that you just up and agreed to be taken by a random masked man

Sure, he knew he also did the same with Bruce, but hey, look at where that got him

When Jason finally brought you up to his apartment, still carrying you, he knew he'd have to immediately go out to buy some things

His fridge wasn't stocked with what kids need

Like... apple juice and cereal

Or any kind of vegetables

And, he definitely needed some kid safety stuff, even if he knew you wouldn't try opening the dangerous cabinets

... probably

Opening his door, he took you to the bathroom

Look, as cute as you were, you were also as filthy as a drenched sewer rat

He told you as much when he set you down

Your glare was worth the slap on the arm (it didn't even hurt)

"Can I assume you know how to take a shower?"

"I'm nine, not three, Red Hood."

"Not my fault you look like you're five."

He chuckled as you huffed and puffed

"Jason Todd."

"What?"

"My name is Jason Todd. Can't have you calling me Red Hood if you're gonna live with me, right?"

You gaped, big eyes going wide

He told you his name! And showed you his face! Why did this man trust you so much?

It... it made you real warm inside

You were quiet for a moment before quietly telling you your name, shyly, like you hadn't done that in a long time

"Hm, I think I prefer 'squirt', tho."

Okay, warm moment over, the guy is insufferable

Hissing and pushing him out of the bathroom with all of your strength, you hesitantly took your first real shower since... since you don't even know when

The water was black

You realized your skin could feel soft instead of oily

And your nails finally didn't look like you dug through dirt

Meanwhile, Jason was running around the apartment like a crazed man

Shoving his guns inside high drawers you wouldn't be able to reach

Trashing the cigs he had bought out of curiosity

And making sure any items for... his intimate partners were completely hidden away

He'd found those in Bruce's room one time as a kid and, needless to say, Jason still felt traumatized to this day

After making his apartment slightly less deadly and ordering food, Jason knocked on the door to let you know he'd left a change of clothes for you in front of the bathroom

Damian's clothes the brat left behind once he had stayed over when he was rebelling

they'd be a little too big for you but nothing like what his would look like

Once you came out, looking fresh and clean, Jason immediately carried you to the couch

Biting his tongue because the demon brat's clothes were actually so big on you he could cry

He ignored your complaints again, he knew your little feet were all scratched and they must have hurt like a bitch

Once you finally settled and didn't try to scratch his eyeballs out, Jason started to patch you up

Such careful, gentle touches for rough hands like his

He handled your injuries like you were made of glass

And despite your childish pride... you kind of loved it

It made you feel all tingly and cozy inside, like you were precious

Like you were deserving of kindness

As you started fidgeting with all the bubbling emotions inside of you, Jason tried to calm you down by talking

He learned your mother died from a drive-by shooting and your father was an alcoholic with a taste for physical abuse

"It only got bad bad a year or so ago, I think he blamed me for us being poor."

"And you know that's bull, right?"

You shrugged as he finished treating your injuries and started to dry your damp hair, a little awkwardly but attentive

"He left a month ago–or died, I don't know–so it doesn't matter either way."

Well, that was a healthy mindset for a child!

He had to breathe through his mouth to not get up and go put three little bullets in your piece of shit father's head

or his body, if the bastard was already dead

Jason definitely had a lot of work to do, but for now, ding-dong, he was going to focus on feeding you

And, no, he was never going to delete the photo he took of your face when he opened the huge takeout orders

Nor would he forget the way you cried silently as you ate

That was your first real meal in months

Your first real meal, washed and clothed, in a safe apartment that didn't smell of roaches nor booze, with an adult who looked at you fondly

Jason promised, to himself and God, that he'd make sure you'd never cry over something like food ever again

When you giggled at a joke he made and didn't flinch when he gently wiped a bit of sauce from your cheek, he knew he had made the correct decision

He'd keep you safe

To be continued...

[tr-mha-fan]

🥀Memories🥀

Baji Keisuke x female reader

PART 2 HERE

AU where everyone is alive and friends until they got into a fight and went their separate ways (except you and Baji, who stayed friends and eventually dated)

⚠️Trigger Warnings ⚠️ blood, death, crying, robbery (is that even a warning???), Guns

This was just supposed to be a normal date with your boyfriend, so why?

Why could you hear muffled screams inside the cafe?

Why were their masked people, stuffing money into bags?

Why were you on your knees?

Why were you grasping your chest?

Why was there blood oozing out from between your fingers?

Why were there two bullet holes right where your heart is?

Why could you hear your boyfriend's muffled screams for you to stay awake?

Why could you see, with your blurry vision, the tears that streamed down your dear Keisuke's cheeks?

Why was Kei now carrying you on his back?

Why were your arms lightly wrapped around his neck, your grasp loosening every second?

"Y/N, stay awake, please, I'm begging you..." Keisuke's voice wavered as he spoke to you, running as fast as he could towards the nearest hospital.

"Kei..." you called, voice low and exhausted. "I won't make it, don't tire yourself."

"No! You're staying awake! You're staying with me! You're surviving this, you hear me?!" Your heart ached at your dear boyfriend, you didn't like it when his voice shook. It barely ever did. The only time you remember him being this scared was when his mom got severely injured in an accident. But, you found it hard to keep your eyes open any longer. Your eyelids felt heavier than Burj Khalifa. (This sounds kinda outta place in such a serious moment)

"I wish...I could've seen them...one last...time," a tear finally found its way out your tear glands and down your cheek.

Memories started flooding your brain in your last minutes

~

"Kei, I'm so sorry.." you shut your eyes closed as a twelve year old Baji looked at you confusedly.

"What are you talking about?"

Before you could even answer, Kazutora had already dumped a bucket of cold water on Baji's head.

"I'M SORRY!! I WAS BRIBED WITH ICE CREAM AND ANIME!!" You frantically screamed as you made your escape, Kazutora not far behind.

"COME BACK HERE YOU FUCKERS!!!" Baji angrily ran after the two of you, as you hysterically laughed.

~

"Guys look!" Sanzu barged into Toman's hideout, holding a katana in his hand.

"Wooah! A katana?! Where'd you get it from?" Chifuyu asked in awe.

"I bought it!" The proud smile on Haruchiyo's face made your mischievous demons whisper to you.

Without a second thought, you snatched the katana and took it out of its cover thingy.

"HAAH?! GIVE IT BACK!" The pink haired male called after you as you ran away, katana in hand.

"NEVER!!!" You saw Mikey in the distance and decided to mess around.

Long story short, you ended up getting lectured by Mamasuya for almost injuring Toman's president.

~

Many photos passed your mind, you and Chifuyu reading manga, you and the girls hanging out at the mall, you being Mitsuya's fashion model.

No words could explain the deep wave of regret which you felt that moment. The fight was over a trivial matter, but it ended up splitting you up. You never even got the chance to apologize to anyone.

"Kei, could you...maybe tell everyone I'm sorry? Make up with them for me, ok?"

"Y/N, you apologize to them yourself, once you get out of the hospital." The tears streaming down his face only increased.

"I'm sorry Kei, I love you..." your arms suddenly went limp around Keisuke's neck. Your skin went cold. The short frantic breaths you were heaving a second ago stopped.

Baji's steps slowed and came to a compete halt. His eyes widened, his breathing picked up.

He had, just now, and in his own arms, lost the love of his life. And what made it worse, the engagement ring in his pocket, the one he never got to give you.

______________________________________________________________

Hello there hoomans! What a lovely day for angst 😍! In case you didn't notice (I'm sure you did) this was very much inspired by Emma's death 😈)

Ahhh, I sure love writing heart breaking angst

Anyways, hope you liked it!

Kazutora out! 🐯

[theteasetwrites]

The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning

Chapter 98: Till Death Do Us Part

❧ Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Female Reader ❧ Era: Season 11 ❧ Pronouns: she/her ❧ Warnings: language, scary situation, blood and gore, character death, typical TWD stuff ❧ Word Count: 6.2k

❧ In This Chapter: With walkers swarming the Commonwealth, Daryl and the others must act quick to get everyone to safety, including you. When the citizens of the Commonwealth come to the governor's gates, there will be Hell to pay.

❧ A/N: Hey guys how convenient that Daryl Dixon is a universal blood donor all of a sudden, amirite? So we're at the finale, and don't get me started. This whole episode is so rushed and lazy and forced and AHH. It really was not the ending we deserved imo, but I'll do what I can with it. For me, the joy in writing this final episode is just the moments between Daryl and his wife. They're so cute. Anyway, please keep in mind that this chapter might be kind of unrealistic and way too convenient because it covers the events of the finale and that's just how they wrote it. I am working with what I got besties.

“Help me!”

He kicked open the glass door, bellowing at the top of his lungs. “Help!”

In and out of consciousness, you could see him, hear him. If you could bring yourself to touch him, you would raise your hand to touch his cheek, but you were numb. Your arms were numb, especially your left. That was when you felt a brief sting, somehow both sharp and dull. There was a tingle running down your arm, where the blood dripped. The taste of pennies on your tongue was more than just faint now, it filled your mouth. 

“You’ll be okay.”

Daryl…

During the brief moments that you could feel, you no longer felt his arms. Your body was laying horizontally now, on some lumpy mattress, in a familiar room. The hospital lobby, where you’d come just a week ago, in much more pain than you were now. Somehow, though, you were more drained, more flimsy. Between slow, laborious blinks, you saw a soldier, running towards the exit, his gun drawn. Another followed, carrying a white case. 

They ran past you, turning the corner. No longer could you see Daryl, perhaps he had been a figment of your imagination. It’d happened before. But no, you heard him again, some words that morphed into each other, creating an unintelligible string, but there were brief clarities.

“...Help…wife…shot…blood…”

A yell, and his body fell, a flash of blue from the painted wing on his vest as he hit the floor. Outside, the herd was approaching. You could see through clouded vision, just through the windows that stretched along the wall. Moreover, you saw the door, completely ajar. 

It took all your strength to wake yourself fully, to lift yourself from the gurney. Stumbling past Daryl’s body, you pushed the first door, a great pang coursing through your left arm. Your right would have to do the heavy lifting, so when it came to the other door, you simply threw yourself against it, your right side pushing hard as a stray walker lodged its hand between the doors. 

A strained grunt escaped your bloody lips as you pushed with all the strength of your good side. It wasn’t enough. The walker pushed, too. With one burst of strength, you stepped back to launch yourself against the glass, the pressure sending the walker back a few feet. The move bought you time to scramble to a nearby desk and push it forward. 

“Come… on…” you muttered, barely able to speak, but your delirious frustration was enough to provoke you. 

You slid the desk towards the door, and just at the nick of time, before the walker could get wedge its body, you pushed it snug against the jamb. That was about all you could do. 

Without much strength left in your legs to hold you up, you steadily crawled to your knees, dragging yourself to Daryl’s body. You pulled yourself with your right arm, desperately making yourself move. “Daryl,” you croaked, reaching out to try to turn him over onto his back. “Daryl, wake up.”

He’d been bludgeoned by a dull weapon, a nasty set of bruises beginning to form on his head and eye. When you were close enough, you lifted his face with shaky, cold fingers. The walkers outside began to pile up, their rotting bodies pounding against the glass doors and windows. With all your might, you tried to pull Daryl’s unconscious body to no avail, it only weakened you more. 

A pounding started in your head, followed by increasingly clouded vision. You blinked several times, each one becoming heavier. As much as you tried to avoid it, gravity was pulling you down, your good hand still grasped tight around Daryl’s wrist as you tried to pull him and you to safety. 

Breath labored, unconsciousness closing in, you made one last tug on his arm, but you didn’t get far before the darkness took over, and your head hit the cold, sterile tile.

At that point, your hand was loosely in Daryl’s, frozen in time. 

He woke with a flinch, and one hell of a headache. 

He’d had worse, but any blow hard enough to knock him out wasn’t to be underestimated. The first face he saw was Carol’s, stoic and cold as always, but comforting, and worried. Confusion settled in when he registered the faint sound of crying. A small moment of panic struck him—he remembered what had happened. If there was crying, there was death. 

He sat up, looking to his left, where the crying was coming from. When the first thing he saw was red, his heart stopped. The worst, however, hadn’t come to fruition. At least, not from this view. Upon the gurney on the other side of the hospital room was Luke, his leg had been severed just below the knee, where the blood was pooling, dripping down the bed. 

Surrounding him were more familiar faces, Connie, Kelly, Magna, and Yumiko—the people Luke was closest to. That’s why they were crying. He didn’t have much time left. Daryl could tell, he’d seen enough people close to death before. 

It didn’t concern him now, it was out of his hands. The slight tickle of the gauze wrapped around his head reminded him of the last conscious moments, the last things he did. As he stripped the bandage from his head, he began to rise from the gurney, already reassuring Carol, “I’m fine.”

“Daryl,” she said, trying to steady him as he rose to his feet. “No you’re not.”

As he moved his disheveled hair away from his face, his heart sank to see you, still unconscious, lying in a hospital bed just feet away from where he lay moments ago. You were pale, limp… nearly lifeless. Nearly was the operative word. 

Upon your left shoulder, closer to your chest, there was a small white towel, stained red where it was soaking up the blood from the wound. His eyes trailing to the ground, he saw the pile of discarded cloths, all turned red and bled completely through. 

He stepped forward slowly, as if careful not to wake you. He was too used to moving like that, to seeing you asleep and conforming to the routine he’d set into place. Never wake (Y/N), she needs her beauty sleep. Well, that’s what you would say. You needed your beauty sleep. 

It struck him, of course, that he couldn’t wake you. “She’s lost a lot of blood,” he said. 

The sobbing from Luke’s bed became louder, more impending of what was inevitable. Cracking voices murmured well-intended reassurances that were untrue nonetheless. You’re okay… Stay with us… 

His heart did ache for them, for Luke. As stoic as he was, he’d lost too many people to be heartless. Some would think he would be immune to it by now, but it was never easy. That was a truth both you and he knew well. It was strange how much you’d both seen together, without ever losing the other. Now, you’d come too close again. Too close to that precipice of death, a fate that soon would welcome Luke.

“All the doctors are gone and the nurses and the medicine,” Carol informed him. 

It was just as he’d feared, after he saw the Commonwealth soldier carrying a white crate just before he was knocked out. 

“Where?”

“We heard Pamela took everything, and she’s holed up in her gated community, and she left the rest of the Commonwealth to fend for itself.”

Course she did, he thought. He’d been trained by you, more or less, not to use the word “bitch.” He’d learned it was a degrading term for women, especially when used by men, and that it should only be used to describe a particularly terrible kind of woman. If he ever used the word in front of Robin, he was sure he’d be sentenced to a night on the couch.

However, in this particular situation, he felt you would agree that it was an apt term to use. Besides, she’d shot you. Any sympathy for her he ever had, though minimal to start with, had evaporated by now. Rich bitch. 

“Well, that’s where we go,” he replied.

“There’s too many troopers,” she said, turning to lift the cloth upon your wound. The blood hadn’t soaked through just yet, maybe the bleeding was slowly, she figured. Still, the lack of blood in your body was becoming dangerous. “Hoping to find somebody to get us in without a fight.”

“What about Mercer? He knows people on the inside.”

“Yeah, Max thinks so. There’s a team after him. Some of the others are looking for the kids, and they’re gonna meet us back here.”

His patience was losing its hold on him, it always did when lives were hanging in the balance. Yours most importantly. Medical supplies, that’s what you needed. If it was being hoarded in the governor’s mansion, he’d storm the building and take the head honcho out himself if he needed to. 

“So we just wait?”

“No, we’re gonna take care of her, and you.”

Carol’s attention focused back on Luke, his dying words strangled in his throat as he gasped for breath. The blood must’ve been pooling in his lungs now, and he had minutes, most likely moments, left of life. 

Daryl looked his way, too, watching bloodied hands cling to each other, making promises to the dying man. When he faded away, his friends huddled around him, arms outstretched over each other as they sobbed. Magna had been sure to get the brain, inserting the knife from the base of his neck. It was the most respectful way to do it, any survivor would know.

When he couldn’t bear their heart wrenching sobs any longer, his gaze wandered, falling upon an IV kit. If he could prevent that same fate from meeting you, he would. There was no hesitation, no doubt in his mind about what he needed to do. 

“I’m gonna give ‘er blood,” he said, determined in his step as he grabbed the medical kit. “You know how to do this?”

“Yeah, but your types have to match.”

Eleven years of knowing each other and the question, “What’s your blood type?” had never come up. You’d asked Daryl all kinds of other inane questions, questions he might’ve found silly at the time, but he always looked back at your curiosity with fondness. That was one of the most beautiful things about you, how you smiled so bright when he’d reveal the most trivial piece of information about himself—his favorite color, his strangest dream, his most embarrassing childhood memories… It wasn’t really trivial. He knew that. Nothing you could ever say or do would be trivial or silly or unimportant to him. 

But you’d never asked about his blood type, and you’d never told him yours. That, as a matter of fact, didn’t even matter.

He ripped the plastic wrap of the IV open with his teeth, then further tore it with his hands. “Mine goes with anybody,” he said. “Merle used to make me sell it when I was a kid for money.” Finally, it would actually pay off. 

As he held the tube of the IV between his teeth, he rolled up his sleeve, the sudden appearance of the rabbit on his arm reminding him of you, as it always did. It was for you, and Robin, and now Wes. It represented everything good and pure in his life, and that was all what you had given him. It was everything he’d sworn he’d protect, from the moment he met you. It was always you.

Carol took the other end of the IV, carefully inserting the needle into the vein of your arm. Thank God you were out—needles weren’t your friend. Even thinking about an IV made you a little lightheaded, so it was good that you were temporarily excused from thinking.

She pinned the other side of the IV at the inside of his elbow, just above your rabbit. Merle’s little childhood scheme had one other benefit: Daryl, unlike you, wasn’t afraid of needles. 

The once translucent tube turned red as his blood transferred to you, who so desperately needed it. He’d give you everything—the skin off his back, the marrow of his bones, the air in his lungs. Every inch of him belonged to you, not anyone else on God’s green earth. 

He made a promise to you that day, that beautiful day you were married. He said he’d be yours until death, in sickness and in health. 

His gaze was held hostage by your face, until a loud clatter from somewhere else inside the hospital demanded his attention. If he’d been in any other situation, he’d immediately run to investigate, but he was tethered to you by blood, his body intertwined with yours, quite literally. 

Instead, Carol picked up her bow. “I’m going to sweep the hospital, make sure the others are okay.”

“We’re coming too,” said Magna.

Carol turned to Daryl just before she left. “You good?”

He only nodded, every hair on his body standing on end. If the walkers got in now, you wouldn’t be ready to go. He’d already strained himself by carrying you, he wasn’t sure he could get very far again. He’d try, God knows he’d try, but he couldn’t risk the possibility of his strength not being enough to save you. 

He needed luck, and relying on luck was a dangerous game. Then again, there wasn’t anyone alive that hadn’t relied on luck for the past eleven years. There wasn’t much else to rely on. 

Soon, he was alone, with you. He’d been alone with you so many times before, so many beautiful times. Even in moments like this, in which the space between you was filled with silence, there was so much there. Even with you unconscious, there was that connection. 

He didn’t know how much time had passed, maybe forty-five minutes, maybe only ten. He became lost in your face, the face he loved so much. Absentminded fingers made their home upon your hairline, stroking your hair back gently. He’d done it so many times, a way to lull you to sleep or calm you when you’d be nearly hyperventilating with tears. He wasn’t sure why he did it now, when there was no way you’d be able to feel that comfort.

Maybe he did it for himself. Maybe he just needed to touch you, to imagine some other reality far, far away. A reality where you weren’t hurt, where nothing could ever hurt you. That’s all he ever wanted for you, from the moment he met you. He just wanted you safe. 

If you’d never told him that night, taken his hands in yours and told him how much you cared for him, he wasn’t sure he’d ever have the courage to confess himself. There must’ve been another universe wherein you never drank too much that night, or you never felt what you did for him. In any universe, in all those universes, he still loved you, and he still devoted whatever time he had left to keeping you safe, happy, loved. 

Even if he had never been the one you chose, for whatever reason you chose him, he would’ve died a thousand deaths for you, the only woman he could ever love this way. The purest heart, the most precious gem, like the one hanging around your neck.

Suddenly, time stopped as your eyes seemed to flutter just a bit, though he swore it was his imagination. No, it was true—you blinked hard, then let your eyes peel open slowly, as if you were afraid to look.

When your hazy eyes fixed on Daryl, you took in a sharp breath. His lips parted softly, one corner just barely curling upwards. “Hey,” he spoke in almost just a breath. His presence was a momentary comfort, but as you became more aware of your body, the pain in your arm, the hospital bed upon which you lay, an unstoppable anxiety took over. 

“What’s… what’s happening?”

His hand kept smoothing over your hair, though you tried to lift up your head, looking frantically around the room. The last thing you remembered was a walker, and a herd of walkers coming towards you. They were bound to be close by. 

“Wh—where are we? Daryl?” Your voice was a frightened quiver as your eyes became drawn to the bloody rag upon your left shoulder. Eyes wide, you looked back up at him, his hair a disheveled mess, the skin surrounding his right eye black and bruised. “What happened?” You tried to raise your left arm, but in it was the IV. Just the sight sent a nausea through you, your head resting back down upon the pillow as dizziness plagued you. “Oh, God…”

Not only that, but the left sleeve of your jacket was soaked through with blood. The skin of your arm dyed red, too. You knew what happened, but you weren’t going to let yourself admit it. 

“Shh, it’s okay. You’re at the hospital,” he said quietly, his own voice much shakier than you wanted it to be. When his voice faltered, you knew something was wrong. It wasn’t his words, it was always his voice that gave him away. 

Still, his hand stroked your hair back in an effort to calm you, to let you know he was there, and that everything would be all right. He wouldn’t let you die, he knew that. That wasn’t in his plan. It just wasn’t going to happen, no way. He was still breathing, still pumping blood. If he needed to pump every last drop of blood inside of him into you, he would. He was planning on it, in fact. He was prepared to do anything. 

Your eyes were trained on him sharply, yet with so many questions. What happened? Where is everyone? Are you all right? You were thinking of everything, of everyone except you, but you kept coming back to one question that couldn’t escape you.

“Am I gonna die?”

“No, no,” he said. Under his words, your voice began to crack. Tears were coming, you knew it, and he knew it. But it was okay, it was right. There was never anything weak about crying. You felt weak, but it takes some strength to cry, so couldn’t be weak. He knew that more than anyone. “You’re not gonna die.”

“It… it… Daryl, it feels like I’m going to die.” Your voice sped up in panicked crying, breaths going much faster than your lungs were prepared for. “What about—about Robin, and Westley? I need to see them before… I can’t just leave them, and you—I can’t leave you…”

“Shh… You’re not gonna die, you’re fine. You’re fine… You’ll see them again, you will. And I’ll take you home, things will be all right again, you’ll see. This ain’t the end.”

Glassy eyes squeezed out little crystal tears, falling over your cheeks. The salty drops pooled in the corners of your lips, diluting the copper taste in your mouth. If it’s not the end, then why does it feel like it?

“But Daryl…”

“This ain’t the end,” he repeated. “I won’t let you go.”

A thick fog distorted your vision, overwhelming your mind. As your eyelids became weighed down, you struggled to stay alert, but another bout of unconsciousness was closing in, like walls tumbling down all around you. Daryl’s visage became blurred, his features losing definition no matter how hard you fought it. 

You couldn’t see his worried expression, and you couldn’t feel his other hand softly batting your cheek, shaking your head. “(Y/N)?” He leaned in closer, speaking louder, though you were out like a light. That couldn’t be good, not at all. You needed treatment. The blood was helping, but you were losing it faster than he could give it. If he could keep you awake, he knew he was keeping you alive. “(Y/N)? Come on, wake up. Come on, angel.”

Crashes and bangs resounded as the impending doom of the hungry herd became more urgent. Carol rushed into the room, proclaiming that the hospital had been breached. 

“I can’t leave,” Daryl protested. “I can’t leave ‘er.”

More failed attempts to wake you, more desperate pleas that fell on deaf ears. 

The only solution, the only way out of this alive, was the Estates. The Miltons and the Commonwealth gentry lived there, and now, they were hiding there, hoarding the last of the medical supplies. 

Night had fallen when they reached the safehouse. Tomi, Yumiko’s brother, was a doctor, and a good one, too. He treated you there, doing what he could to first and foremost remove the bullet. 

The doctor lifted your eyelids manually, using a small flashlight to check your status. “She’s in a fragile state,” he remarked to Daryl. He lifted the cloth to uncover your wound. It was dark red, nearly soaking the entire fabric. “It’s good that you gave her blood. I’ll do what I can.”

That was an hour ago now.

At least now, you were stable, still laying on the hospital bed you’d been brought in with. Daryl didn’t want to touch you for fear of disturbing you, but damn, did he want you to wake up. You’d been shot before, you’d been hurt before, but your body was still weak from giving birth. Even Tomi said it was lucky that you hadn’t bled out before you got there. 

When you began to awake, Daryl stood to his feet, leaning over you to brush back your hair as you came to. It was a dizzying experience, waking up in some unfamiliar home. You didn’t see anyone for the first several seconds, you just looked up at the ceiling, allowing your mind to catch up with your eyes. 

It was like you knew exactly where he was just by feeling his presence. You turned your head to face him, with heavy eyes and parched lips. But those heavy eyes lit up with sparkle, and those parched lips opened up into a wide, toothy grin. “Daryl,” you sighed, every bit of pain leaving your body as soon as you saw him. It felt like coming home. 

His mouth curled into its own smile, a giddy, boyish smirk. Even if you had no idea where you were, or what was happening, all you needed to know, really, was that he was all right, and he was here. That was all you needed. 

“Hey, crazy woman. How do you feel?”

Your eyes fluttered closed for a moment as your face scrunched into a playful grimace at his words. “I feel like an idiot,” you said. “Is Maggie okay?”

He shook his head, amused and bewildered by your concern for Maggie. “She’s fine,” he said. “You saved ‘er.”

“Mm… Spur of the moment decision. Didn’t really think I was gonna get shot.” You chuckled under your breath, and as you tried to lift your left arm, you realized it was suspended in a cast, wrapped tight around your shoulder. “Oh…”

“Doctor said you’re gonna be jus’ fine,” he said proudly. “But you scared the shit outta me… Again.”

“And now I’ve been shot in both shoulders,” you said, your right hand gesturing to the right shoulder, the very first place you’d been shot. “That’s got to be good luck or something, right?”

“Sure. Just don’t get shot again, for Christ’s sake. You’re gonna give me a heart attack one of these days.”

Though he was dead serious, you let out a snort as you reached your free hand up to bring his head down until his lips met yours. “I love you,” you said as you let go of him, but with a furrowed brow, you noticed the terrible black eye and the colossal bruise across his forehead. As you swept back his hair, you turned serious this time. “What happened to your face?”

Now he smiled, once again amused by your concern for him rather than yourself. “Just a black eye. I’ve had worse.”

Only you would be worried about such a minor injury. If Daryl came home with a hangnail, you’d be worried. “That’s a big one,” you said, tracing your fingertip over the bruise, never touching it, only hovering. “I’ve never seen you with one that bad, baby.” Damn that sling your arm was in. It prevented you from grabbing both his cheeks and pulling him against you so he could use your chest as a pillow. “I don’t like it.”

He laughed under his breath, trying not to garner too much attention from the others. “Sorry, princess. If I could get rid of it for ya I would.”

“You still look handsome,” you cooed. “My big, strong—”

“(Y/N)!” Aaron’s voice cut off your imminent embarrassment of Daryl. 

Your eyes shot open as you lifted your head a little too fast for Daryl’s liking. “Easy,” he said, but you sat up with his help. 

“Aaron!” Daryl quickly stepped aside, allowing Aaron to speed across the room. He wrapped you in his good arm, kissing your forehead. “How long have you been here?”

“We came back through the herd,” he huffed, his voice already turning serious. When he pulled away, he looked worriedly at Daryl. As your head volleyed between the two men, your eyes widened in preemptive panic. 

“What happened?” you asked. “Did something happen? Is everyone all right? Lydia… Where’s Lydia? And Jerry, and… and…” Even just speaking so rapidly had you running out of breath. 

“Take it easy,” said Daryl, his hand holding yours. “Everythin’s all right.”

But you knew there was something wrong, the way Aaron looked. He looked like you when you were troubled, when you were trying to figure out how to tell someone bad news. “What is it, Aaron? Just tell me.”

The first thing that came to your mind, of course, was Lydia. That was what it had to be. Aaron knew how much you cared for her, so did Daryl. They both seemed hesitant to say anything. Daryl looked distraught, too, as if something truly terrible had happened. 

You didn’t have to wait for an answer. Lydia herself appeared soon after, standing idly in the archway across the room. You breathed a heavy sigh of relief for just a moment. She was alive, unless you were dreaming, but you couldn’t be dreaming. Everything made too much sense to be a dream.

“Lydia,” you sighed, but she didn’t move. Half her body was hidden behind the wall, you realized, and in her eyes, she seemed to want to smile, but her lips were quivering, as if she was about to cry.

Will someone please tell me what the hell is happening?

She came forward slowly, her eyes not bearing to meet yours. When her full figure started coming closer, you noticed something off—the left sleeve of her sweatshirt seemed to hang loosely, her hand nowhere to be seen. You didn’t need anyone to tell you now. 

“Oh, Lydia.”

She broke down crying then, stumbling towards you. You yourself had only one arm able to hold her, but you held her tight, her tears falling onto the crook of your neck. 

Still holding her, you looked up at Aaron, searching for questions. “What happened?” You had a feeling, of course. 

“She got bit,” he replied. “We, uh… We lost Elijah in the herd. Lydia was reaching for him, trying to hold onto him.”

It seemed so much like Lydia, so much like something you would do, too. If it had been Daryl, you never would’ve let go until the last possible second, and for Lydia, that last possible second was the moment a walker’s teeth dug into the flesh of her arm. 

And you knew, of course, that all Lydia could think about now was him. Finding him. “We’ll find him,” you assured her, combing your hand through dark, silky brown hair. “I promise you. Everything will be all right.”

Gunshots. A sudden burst of appalled screams coming from outside. You turned towards the sounds. As much as you wanted to believe you were safe, you weren’t. The dead were still flooding the streets of the Commonwealth. The walls of the estates, where you were now, were keeping the dead out, but they were also keeping out the civilians. The poor, the working class. They were out there, outside the walls. 

From your limited view out the window, you could see guards on the inside, their guns raised and ready to shoot. 

“What’s going on?” asked Ezekiel, and suddenly you became aware of the rest of the people around you. Thank God everyone was safe, but it wouldn’t be right to let the people outside the walls die just because they weren’t one of the fortunate. It couldn’t be like this, not anymore. The world wasn’t built to be like this. 

“They’re shooting anyone that climbs the gates,” said Mercer. You watched the armored soldier move across the room, picking up a gun and cocking it. Ezekiel approached him, also armed with a gun. “The truck is gassed up with some reserves in the rear.” Mercer’s gaze fell on Aaron, then to you. He seemed to have sympathy in his eyes, even a sense of guilt. “It’s enough to get you home. We can sneak you out the back. This isn’t your fight, these aren’t your people.”

“Yes, they are,” replied Ezekiel, in that voice of his you knew all too well to be his kingly voice. Robin always admired him so. You knew why. You did, too. “And so are you.” He paused for a moment, looking around at the others. When he spoke again, you knew he was going to make a stand. “You may not think this place is worth saving, and I get that, given how they treated us. But it’s worth it to me. The people are worth it, and I’m not gonna allow them to fall without a fight. Not today. I’m with you. Who else?”

“Yeah.” Aaron was the first to speak up. That was just who he was. You were proud of him. You always were. “We can do more than just save ourselves. We need to.”

More followed suit—Connie, Kelly, Eugene, Lydia, Maxine, Rosita… It felt like the way it had felt so many times before. The people were different, save yourself and a few others, but it was what Rick had fought for. It was the family that made everything else worth it. You couldn’t help but think of the beginning, how those bombs had dropped on Atlanta and struck fear into your heart. 

Back then, you didn’t think you’d live to see the sun come up the next day. For eleven years since then, you’d seen thousands upon thousands of days. Moments became memories, and time never stopped because time was yours to make. It wasn’t going to stop now, either. There was too much to be done, too much to change. 

It was time to make a stand.

Daryl didn’t let you move a muscle, of course. You couldn’t blame him. The last time you’d convinced him to let you into the line of fire, you ended up getting shot. Still, it didn’t keep you from watching everything that unfolded. After all, you had told Daryl, you were going to need to write it all down in your journal, for posterity. 

From your vantage point, you saw Mercer, followed by dozens of armed soldiers, approaching the governor. She stood at the gates, just watching the civilians clamoring to get in. “Lower your weapons!” Mercer bellowed, though Pamela’s soldiers seemed conflicted. 

“Arrest them,” she said. 

Even her general gave her a questioning look. “Ma’am…” 

That’s when your people poured in between tanks, guns at the ready. Through binoculars, you kept an eye on Daryl, who filed in with Carol and Gabriel. Ezekiel led another group from the other flank. “Back up! Back up!” he yelled to Milton’s guards. They stepped back, but kept their weapons up. You couldn’t tell from this angle, but it looked like she was outnumbered, or maybe they were equal. In any case, Pamela had some things to answer for. 

The woman did shoot you, but you didn’t much care about that. What she was doing to the Commonwealth, what she was about to let happen to these people outside the gates, was inexcusable. 

“Traitors!” Milton yelled at Mercer. In the distance, the crying, pleading voices of citizens as they banged on the gates resounded. Faintly, you swore you could hear the impending growls of the dead as they made their way closer. Something needed to be done quickly, before it was too late. 

“No,” replied Mercer. “You are, Governor. You disappeared hundreds of citizens, led the dead to our doorstep. And now you’ve left thousands out there to die.”

The shouting and clamoring became louder as the walkers steadily approached. You swallowed hard, just wishing you were out there, able to do something. “Come on, someone open the gates,” you mumbled to yourself. 

“Let us in!” a man cried, shaking the bars of the gate furiously. You adjusted the binoculars to try to look past the crowd, but it was hard not to. There were so many. They began to cry, desperate for a way out. You knew it all too well. They were losing their home, and that had happened to you more times than you could count. 

Just when you were about to lose your cool, Gabriel lowered his weapon, crossing over to the gate. It was a peculiar move, but you knew what he was doing—he was going to open the gate, no matter what happened. 

“General,” said Pamela.

“Stop!” the general cried.

“We’re opening the gate and letting these people in,” Gabriel replied, his voice calm and his words final. “I’ll kill anyone who tries to stop me.”

The general had her gun raised, pointed towards Gabriel. “Stop or we will be forced to shoot you!”

“We’ll fire back,” you heard Carol reply, her gun trained on the general. 

Gabriel didn’t stop, and you knew in that moment that you would have to make special note of his bravery. When you first met the preacher, you didn’t think much of him. In fact, at one point, you hated him for selling out your people, claiming you were all “evil.” Well, that was a long time ago now, and some days you still thought back to that moment in the church, when Daryl had been taken by the Saviors. Gabriel was a good man, even if God wasn’t.

“Shoot him!” Pamela commanded.

Gabriel raised his gun, about to shoot the lock, but one of the guards was about to follow Pamela’s orders—he held his gun to Gabriel’s head.

“Stop!”

You could recognize that voice from anywhere. Of course, it was Daryl. He stepped forward, no guns in his hands. It worried you a little, your heart racing as you chewed nervously on your lips. There were now guns trained on him, and he had no way to defend himself. Maybe all he needed, though, were his words. Daryl was never much of a public speaker, but you wholeheartedly believed he could do just about anything. 

“We all deserve better than this,” he said, looking towards the gate. He turned back to the governor. “You built this place to be like the old world. That was the fuckin’ problem.”

No one ever said Daryl was polite. 

“If I open the gates, the dead will get in, not just the living.”

“If you don’t, you’re gonna lose everything anyway.” You couldn’t help but smile to yourself, just a little. It was going to be so wonderful to write about your own husband’s bravery now. With Gabriel and the others, you only paraphrased their words. With Daryl, you’d be sure to memorize what he said verbatim. Well, maybe you’d leave out the cursing, just so Robin and Westley could read it. 

“We got one enemy,” he added, before making his way towards the gate. “We ain’t the walking dead.”

That seemed to sway the general. She commanded the guards to lower their weapons. Never in all the years you’d known him had you been more proud of Daryl. You knew he’d think it wasn’t a big deal, that he would’ve done what anyone else would’ve done, and that Gabriel was the real hero, but maybe you were a little biased. Just a little.

As Gabriel opened the gate, Daryl and the others helped pull it back, letting in a stampede of crying, terrified citizens. They flowed in, some tripping over others, but they all made it just at the nick of time. The walkers were pushed back by the gate, none of them making it in, but it would only be a matter of time before they put too much pressure on the bars. You’d seen it before, the weight of just one herd. If they get hungry enough, they’ll power through anything. 

With Pamela arrested, and the last bastion of the Commonwealth’s forces finally banding together against the dead, it was time to fight the real enemy, just as Daryl said. Quickly, you scrawled everything down with your good hand. It was history in the making, you were sure of that. 

~

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[inej-ruination-ghafa]

SUGAR: OUTBREAK DAY

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Warnings: blood, violence, guns, attempted sexual assault, mentions of sex, swearing, main character death

Summary: you had never expected the day to go lik it did, you were expecting a normal day but when the world broke out in infection, you had to figure out what to do

Wordcount: 9.2k

— and as the long long nights begin, I think of all that might have been, waiting here for evermore

September 26th 2003, the day that would one day become infamous. But when you woke up on that hot Texas apartment in your apartment, your best friend sleeping on the couch in the other room after a long day of work, you werent expecting anything bad to happen. In fact, this could have been one of the best days of your life if it had gone well.

You had woken Tommy up after you’d gotten dressed. He was still in his clothes from yesterday par the grey shirt he had been wearing which had been stained with grease from his job and you had subsequently thrown it into your washing basket.

Tommy Miller was your best friend and that was it. He was the light to your darkness, the yin to your yang but he was just your best friend despite your fleeting obsession with him. If you could tell Tommy how you felt for him, a weight would be lifted off your shoulders but instead you sit in the living room area of your loft, carrying the weight of your love like Atlas.

But you wouldnt have it any other way. As long as you had Tommy in your life, as long as you could see the smile on his face or hear his laugh over the telephone, you didnt care. Right now you were content with your unrequited love for the slightly older man, knowing hed never feel the same way.

He came out of your bathroom in a fresh pair of clothes - he always left a spare pair of clothes or two in your small loft, knowing that he was probably going to spend the night.

Tommy looked at you, his breath hitching in his throat as he watched you brush your hair in the mirror, a bobby pin stuck between your teeth as you tried to fashion your hair into something you’d seen in one of the magazines sprawled across your coffee table.

He didnt understand why he felt this way, why he looked at you and yearned to reach forward and kiss the delicate skin at the back of your neck, why he wanted to reach behind you, winding his arms around you, hands on your stomach which was exposed from your shirt riding up.

You were four years his junior but his best friend through thick and thin for the last 6 years and he wouldnt change you for anyone. Maybe that was the problem, maybe he loved you too much deep down, maybe there was too much love in his heart and without you hed explode.

Before he could think too much and worry himself like he always did, you turned around, that smile on your face forcing him to light up as well, “You ready to go?” He asked and you nodded, skipping over to where he stood. You threw him the keys, watching as he caught them with ease before opening the door, gesturing for you to go first.

You two drove to Joels house, laughing like normal as you carpooled. The sound of your No Doubt echoing through the car as you tried to convince him to sing along, watching a smile pull at his lips even when he sai that he didnt want to sing along.

In the next few months, Tommy would think about this day every single waking moment and wish he had done something else. He would wish that he had sung along with you one last time as the cassette played, wish that he had hugged Sarah one last time when he got through the door, wish he had actually bought his brother something to show how much he cared, wish he would’ve told you everything.

But as he parked up on Joels driveway, he didnt know what the future would hold and didnt know that he would wish hed done more on the last day of the world.

Tommy fumbled around in his pockets for the keys, finally pulling them out and unlocking the door and walking into tthe house.

You loved the Millers house, there was something about the warmth of it that you wished you’d have had as a child. You wished that you had thier life and maybe that’s why you always enjoyed it when they let you in, welcoming you as a family member.

Tommy walked through the kitchen, smacking his brother on his shoulder, “Hey, you still alive you old fucker,” he said, walking round the corner and opening the fridge.

Sarah chuckled, looking over at Joel, “Ah, he loves you,” she said sarcastically, a smile on her face.

Joel rolled his eyes, watching as his brother pulled a carton of orange juice out of the fridge, “He’s dependant on me, it’s not the same,” he said, narrowing his eyes at his brother.

Joel would never admit it but he still cared about his brother even if he was too dependent on him. He’d noticed that since you had come along, Tommy had been a better person, more involved in Sarahs life and he was grateful for that every day. He was grateful to have the brother back that he had before he went to war.

Tommy scoffed from where he was leaning against the counter, removing th carton of juice from his lips, “I’m not dependant, you asshole,” he said.

You shook your head as you listened to his bickering, “Be nice Tommy,” you reprimanded, looking over at him before pulling the small box from behind your back and placing it on the table, “happy birthday Joel,”

“Nice to see you kiddo,” he said before looking down at the little box, “You didnt have to get me anything,”

You shook your head, “Its just a little something, you’ve done so much for me, i thought you deserved something,” you explained. Joel had helped you through your tough times at college, giving you a job as a receptionist when he didnt have to, letting you crash at his and Tommys house when you left your boyfriend. He gave you so much and never asked for anything in return.

He looked at the box and you nodded, watching as he pulled the packaging open. He looked at it, a picture frame with a picture from Joels last birthday, his and Tommys arms wrapped around a laughing Sarah. He looked up at you, eyes wide, “This is lovely sugar,”

“This is how you treat someone on their birthday Tommy,” You said with a smile, jokingly.

He rolled his eyes, “Whatever, you want some orange juice sugar?” He asked, holding the carton out to you from where you stood.

Your face scrunched up in disgust and a part of him wanted to smile at how adorable the little scrunch in your nose looked, “After you drank it straight from the carton? I'll have to pass,” you stated.

Tommy chuckled, putting the carton back in the fridge before looking around the room, “I thought we were having pancakes?” He questioned.

Joel shook his head, watching as you walked over to the other side of the kitchen counter, “We’ll pick you up something,”

He watched as you stood next to him, also leaning against the kitchen counter as Tommy wrapped his arm around your shoulders. He had never seen his brother this happy, this comfortable around someone and he knew you were it for him.

“The framing men aren’t here yet,” Tommy stated and you recalled the call that he had received on the way to Joels house.

Joel rolled his eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh as he placed his knife and fork down, “But we cant start pouring until we have the framework,” he stated, annoyed.

“I know, that’s what I told them,” Tommy said, now sounding just as exasperated as his brother did, “We could bring another guy on maybe,”

“I barely want to share this job with you,” he said, shaking his head before looking down at his food and then back at Tommy, “You can work a double,”

Sarah rolled her eyes. This was her fathers birthday and she wanted to spend time with him, “Today? Dad,” she complained.

Whilst the two of them were planning a movie date, you and Tommy had decided to go out to some bar to celebrate the end of the summer before you were going to start your first teaching job.

Joel looked at his daughters annoyed face and he could feel the guilt catching up to him, “Ill pick you up a cake,” he promised.

Joel jumped up, looking at his wrist before he realised he didnt have a watch on and looked around to find a clock, deciding what time he was going to leave the house, especially now that they needed extra time to work on the build. Little did they know it was never going to finish.

“Finish up quick, we’ll drop you two ladies off,” he said, finishing his cup of coffee before placing it next to the sink.

Sarah groaned, looking up at him, “But I’m still eating my eggshells!” She exclaimed, acting annoyed even as she picked a piece of shell out from betwee her front teeth

“And i haven't even had any food,” you said, looking around the kitchen, arms folded across your chest.

“Whatever!” Joel yelled out as he started to walk through the door to go and get changed.

“Your shirts inside out dickhead,” you called out from where you stood, annoyed that he wasnt feeding you when you came over for breakfast.

Tommy laughed at your issue with Joel, “He’s losing it isn’t he,” he joked.

He smiled to himself as he saw your face turned down in a pout, frustrated about not having any breakfast. For a split second, he wanted to lean down and kiss that sad look on your face away but he ignored that urge, fighting the blush that rose to his cheeks.

“Yeah, and if you don’t get me food on the way to training today Mr Miller, I swear to God,” you said, stepping away from him and poking him in the chest.

He held his hands up in surrender, a mock look of fear on his face as he looked down at you, “Okay little lady, Jesus, you’re feisty for such a tiny girl,” he stated, managing to manoeuvre his way around you.

You rolled your eyes, “Shut up Tommy,”

“Yes ma’am,” he said with a smirk, watching you as you walked out of the door.

He fel his heart pounding in his chest as he looked at you and for the first time ever, he had the intense urge to let you know how he felt, how he wanted you to feel the same way.

He didnt even reason he had frozen there, watching you as you walked away until Sarah came by, laughing at him as she teased him about his obvious feelings for you.

The sound of your voice teasing him from outside brought him back to reality as he turned and sneered at Sarahs comment before rushing after you, a smile on his face as he playfully teased you.

You looked back at him, a wide smile on your face and he felt his heart stop in his chest at the sight. You were about to get into the car when you heard someone call out your name and turned to see Mr Adler and Nana sitting in their front garden.

"Morning Mr Adler," You said, Tommy following your sentiment.

He smiled, watching you two joke around, "Hey kid, you two up to your usual hijinks?" He questioned, a smile on his face.

"Yes, yes, we managed to bury a body and rob a bank before breakfast," Tommy teased, leaning up against the car door as he looked at him.

You shook off his comment, a smile on your face, "He's joking Mr Adler, I promise,"

"Either of you want a biscuit?" The man offered.

"Ooh, yes please," you said before watching him feed one to Nana Adler, spit dripping from her lips as she ate it and he watched your nose do that title scrunch before turning to Tommy, "on second thought, Tommys buying me breakfast so I shouldn't,"

"I am?" He questioned, looking down at you

"Yeah, you are, we should get in the car,"

You walked over, calling shotgun as you rushed around the front of the car, sitting in the passenger seat as you listened to Mr Adler greeting the two, offering Joel a biscuit too.

You assumed he had seen the same disgusting sight that you had because he made a funny noise before shaking his head, "I would, but sugar here has got me on a new diet so," you had not.

"That's a shame," he said, looking over at the girl, "Would you be able to come round tonight Sarah, I'm sure Mrs Adler would love it,"

"I really can-" she started to say but her father cut her off, nodding his head as he agreed for her, "Yeah, she'll be free right after school,"

Joel walked over to the front seat before reasoning you were in it, moving to sit in the back seat alongside Sarah.

"I’ll tell you how exciting it was to listen to that fucking conversation," Tommy said, pulling a cigarette from his pocket and putting it in his mouth.

You looked over at him, trying not to find the look of him siting here, hair slicked back, a cigarette dangling from his lips too attractive but you did, hoping that he couldn’t see the blush rising on your cheeks.

"Sugar, pass the light,” he asked and you nodded, pulling a lighter out of your pocket and clicking it, watching as he leant forward , face close to yours as he lit it, the cigarette still between his lips.

Joel rolled his eyes, watching the conversation and seeing all the sexual tension between the two of you that he clearly didnt see, “What did I say? No smoking in the car,” he reprimanded.

“The windows are down though,” He said, looking at him before starting to drive off, his arm on the back of the chair as he stared to reverse and you shook your head, hoping he didnt see how attractive you thought it was.

You sat in the bar, turning your head as you heard the sound of police sirens, watching the lights flash by. You watched Tommy walk into the bathroom, watching him turn around and wave at you before he walked in.

It was just past midnight on Saturday and you had just ordered another drink, looking down at the bar as you waited for the drink to arrive and for Tommy to get back.

"You drink whiskey?" A slightly slurred voice asked and you turned your head to see a man pull up aa stool and sit next to you, a cocky smirk on his face.

There was something off about this man but you couldn’t quite put your finger on it so just assumed his strange demeanour was drunkness. He had this strange redness on his neck, almost like his veins were trying to break through the skin but you ignored it.

You turned to him, eyes narrowed, "How's that your business?" You questioned, trying not to cause an issue.

You just wanted one night where you didn't have to worry about all the things going on, about your job and your life and your unrequited love for your best friend.

He chuckled to himself, hand twitching slightly as he placed it on the bar, "It's not, I just admire a woman who can handle whiskey," he teased.

You turned away from him, taking a sip from the drink to try and ignore the man - technically it was Tommys drink but you’d face his wrath when he got back. There was something wrong but you couldn’t figure it out, instead opting to ignore your gut instinct.

The man was relentless, asking another question, "You come here often?" He asked, hand creeping up to rest on your shoulder.

"Occasionally," you stated, jolting your shoulder so that his hand fell off. There was a flash of anger that passed through his eyes and you shrunk back slightly, unsure what the hell was wrong with this guy.

"You alone? A pretty girl like you shouldn't be drinking alone," he asked, his tone turning from flirty to aggressive and you quickly looked around but Tommy was nowhere to be seen.

You placed the glass back down on the bar, thumb brushing the lipstick mark away almost subconsciously as you tried to figure out a way out of this situation. Before you even had a chance to answer, you felt a large hand wrap around your waist and you didnt even need to look back to know who’s it was, the warmth spreading and safety filling your body.

"She's not," the voice said and you looked up, eyes meeting Tommy and the second he saw the fear swimming in your eyes, he tensed up, eyes falling back on the man who was trying to hit on you.

The man scoffed as he eyes Tommy, eyes trailing from his pink shirt down to his dark blue jeans, “This your boyfriend?" He questioned, smirking as he stood up, looking Tommy in the eyes, "He's nothing special doll,”

"Why don't you shut up," he said, trying to calm the situation down as he ushered you up from the seat, arm still wrapped around your waist.

All you could do was watch, body frozen up in fear as you watched him argue with the man. You wanted to warn him and tell him there was something not quite right about this man but no words fell from your mouth.

"Why don't you back off?" The man said, squaring up to Tommy, head twitching slightly as he looked at him, brows furrowed, "She's not your girl,"

His hand reached out, grabbing onto your arm in a tight grip and you tried to squirm out of his grip, panic running through your veins.

"Let go of me," you exclaimed, trying to twist away from him but it was no use, his grip too strong. That was the thing that sent Tommy off, nobody was allowed to touch you like that. He gently let go of your waist, ready to do whatever he had to do to get the two of you out of the situation.

"Come on sugar, calm down," he said and the second that the nickname fell from his lips, he pushed the man. That was his thing, only he got to call her that and occasionally Joel. This disgusting, poor excuse of a man had no right and hat made the blood boil up in his veins.

The man scoffed as he was pushed back by Tommy, losing his grip on her and that’s the moment that Tommy gently pushed you behind him, not wanting you to get involved in the fight.

"She said let go douchebag," He said and you saw that flash of anger across that mans eyes again as he let out a primal scream and launched himself at Tommy.

He missed, stumbling to the side, and that’s when Tommy went in for a hit, punching the man square in the jaw and watching him stumble back again.

You werent sure what was wrong with this man, but he was clearly disturbed, some sort of froth appearing at the corner of his mouth as he went in for another hit. He missed again and this time, when Tommys fist collided with his nose, he fell to the ground, blood seeping from the wound.

He turned back to look at you, ignoring the man’s friends angered yells as he called the police, his focus was entirely on you and making sure you were okay. He couldn’t believe that he left you all alone at the bar, he thought you’d be okay, not factoring in the deranged psychopaths that clearly were hanging around at the bar as well.

He pulled you into a hug, your face buried in his chest. He pulled away, one hand coming up to rest on you cheek, brushing a stray tear away from your cheek that you hadnt even realised escaped.

Any other time, your heart would be fluttering at the closeness and the intimacy of the touch but right now, as you reached your hand up to grab his wrist, you just pushed it away.

“You okay?” He asked, words breathy as if he was finally catching his breath.

You nodded and his hand came down to brush against the going redness on your arm from where had grabbed you, “Son of a bitch,” he muttered under his breath before looking back into your eyes.

“He’s called the police Tommy,” you stated, voice still quiet and timid.

He shrugged his shoulders, “Let him, I did what I had to do to protect you. I’d do it all over again,” he said and you nodded, heart speeding up at his words.

You felt like that little giddy girl again, seeing him or the first time in his fathers backyard at the barbecue, a wide smile on his face, “You really are my hero Tommy Miller,” you joked, “How many people is it that you’ve beaten up for me? Two?”

He chuckled at your teasing tone, leaning down to rest his forehead against yours, “I’d beat up as many as I had to,” he said.

The tension between the two of you was building and if you moved your head slightly, you’d be kissing him and maybe he felt the same.

What you didn’t know was that if the rest of the night hadnt happened, if the outbreak hadn’t occurred, he would’ve. He’d have rushed into your arms after you got him out of the police station and kissed you until the sun came up.

But the world had other ideas.

He opened his eyes and you watched them flicker between your lips and his eyes but before he had even a chance to act upon all the urges in his mind, all the voices in his head telling him to kiss you already, he heard the police car pulling up outside.

“Officer, my friend, hes been beaten up by this feral man,” the other man exclaimed, pointing at you and Tommy.

He pulled away, hand coming away from your waist as he looked at the police officer, “Listen, officer, this is a misunderstanding,” he tried to explain, eyes narrowed at the friend of the man.

The officer shrugged his shoulders, clearly annoyed that he was dealing with this at 1am, “I’m sorry, if he's charging you for assault, I’m going to have to take you down to the station,” he explained.

You reached down, your hand grasping his as you thought about what this meant.

Tommy scoffed, “And that sleazy son of a bitch is going to get away with what he did?” He questioned and you squeezed his hand, trying to calm him down.

The officer looked between him and your hands clasped together, shaking his head, “I’m sorry sir, I’ve got to take you down,” he said and Tommy stepped forward, your hand falling out of his.

"He did nothing wrong," you begged desperately as the man placed handcuffs on your best friend.

As he lead him out of the bar, you followed, eyes never leaving Tommy. You couldn’t care less what anyone else in the bar thought of you two, their eyes following you as you left, desperately begging. All that mattered is that he was okay.

"I'm sorry ma'am, you can Bail him out later," he said, opening the door to the car.

“I’m going to call Joel okay, we’re going to get you out of there,” you promised, his eyes landing on yours as he sat in the car, the window rolled up.

He opened his mouth to say something but the car was driving off before he could. Even then though, he wasnt sure what he was going to say. He wanted to proclaim that he loved you more than anything else and that if he had to, he would do it all over again for you. He wanted to tell you that you meant everything to him and hed be lost without you, that he should have kissed you tonight.

He was never going to get a chance to say any of those things though and as he drove off, he felt his chance drifting away.

You stood there, eyes watching him drive away like you did the first time you met, always watching him walk away, aand that sinking feeling you had then was back, dragging you to the ground.

It was a feeling that you couldn’t understand, a mix of yearning for a man that the world kept pushing away from you and the feeling that something big was about to happen, that the world was going to change completley for you soon.

You took a deep breath in, looking around at the streets of Austin Texas, watching some man chase a woman down the street, a loud noise coming from his mouth, something between a yell and a high pitched screech and you wondered what was happening to the world.

The only thing you knew is that you didnt feel safe on this street alone at nearly one am on a Friday night so you sat down on the steps, Tommys jacket wrapped around your shoulders as you called Joel.

The phone rang for a few seconds and you let out a relieved sigh, "Joel, I need you to pick me up," you said, sobering up quickly.

You could almost imagine the worry on the other end of the line, hearing him rustle around and the silence was worrying you, "Where's Tommy? Are you okay? I'm heading out right now," he said, words spilling out of his mouth.

You knew Joel saw you as family, and that man would do anything for family, "He got arrested. I'm stuck at the bar, they wouldn't let me come with him," you explained, the burning feeling of tears pricking at the back of your eyes.

You heard him let out an annoyed sigh, "Jesus Christ, I'll be down now," he said and you could hear him grabbing his coat and the jumble of the keys unlocking the doors.

"We have to bail him out," you begged. A part of you wondered if you had done that to yourself, that you’d attracted that man and that if you hadnt entertained his conversation then Tommy would never have gottten into that fight. That same part of you knew that if Tommy heard you saying that about yourself, that it was your fault, hed be mad.

"The idiot did it to himself, I'm sure some time in the slammer will do him good," Joel said with a scoff. He was bored of having to constantly save his grown-ass brother from situations like this.

"He'll be stuck there all weekend Joel, he was only protecting me," you pleaded with him, breath hitching in your throat at the idea of him being stuck there, "If you don't come i'll hitch a ride with someone to the station,"

You heard the familiar lull of Tommys truck turning on and smiled to yourself, "Like hell sugar, i'll be down in twenty," he said.

You smiled to yourself, "You're the best Joel," you said before hanging up on him.

You didnt know how long you’d been waiting outside of the bar for but the cold was starting to creep into the Texas evening and you were starting to regret wearing the short blue dress. You just wrapped Tommys jacket around you, the smell of him enveloping your senses as you waited, trying not to worry about him too much.

That’s when you heard two men laughing as they stumbled out of the bar. You didnt notice the man Tommy had punched, twitching slightly, a small gurgling noise escaping his lips but it would be something that you’d think about for weeks to come.

He walked over, a laugh escaping his lips, "Your little boyfriends not here to protect you now," he stated and you wanted to freeze at his words but you didnt.

You didnt even entertain him, "Just leave me alone, my friends going to be here any minute," you said.

"Oh, are they?” He questioned, a sickening sound to his voice, “I only need a minute,"

You looked up at him, standing up like you would be able to outrun him. That’s when you saw Tommys truck pull up in front of the building, Joel sticking his head out of the open window to look at you.

He could see the stress in your eyes and the second that he did, he opened the door and stepped out, walking over to you, "Hey, step away from her," he said.

Joel and Tommy had now protected you tonight and whilst that solidified the fact that you were an integral member of their family, it also made you feel weak and like you weren't able to do anything.

The man rolled his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Jesus Christ, why is everyone playing hero tonight?" He questioned, more to himself and his friend than to anyone else.

"Unless you want another Miller to break your nose, you better step back," Joel said, stepping forward slightly towards the man and you didn't even question how he knew that it was Tommy.

The man stepped back, "Your family is crazy," he stated, looking at you and in any other scenario, you would’ve smiled at the imagery of being in their family but this guy just made you sick.

Joel rolled his eyes, placing a hand on your shoulder, "Lets go sugar," he said, ushering you into the passenger seat of the car.

As he sat in the front seat, driving away, you looked over at him, "Thanks Joel," you said and he smiled at you, reaching a hand over and gently patting your knee. He didnt need a thank you.

What you didnt know as you drove away, was that nearly as soon as you left, the infection finally took over that man. If you’d have stayed a minute or two longer, he could have attacked you and you wouldnt have made it through the night like so many other people.

It was silent as you sat there, neither of you knowing what to say. You heard what you thought was the sound of glass shattering, head peeking out of the window but you didnt see anything. You didnt know what was going on with the world but there was something wrong, "How did you know that Tommy broke his nose?"

"The only reason he'd get sent to jail is for protecting you," Joel explained and you nodded your head. It made sense, and then he smirked, looking over at you, "He also called me,"

Your eyes went wide as you looked at him, "Did he sound okay?" You asked and he smiled to himself, focusing on the road.

Joel knew how much the two cared about each other and was always waiting for his brother to admit how he felt. He knew from that barbecue in 1996 that there was something special between the two of you but neither of you were able to any anything - maybe this would be what pushed you to tell him how you felt.

He could sense the worry and tension and he nodded, “He sounded fine kid, don't get too worked up," he promised.

You nodded, watching as he parked outside of the police station. When you placed your head in your hands, he wondered what was wrong, a hand coming down to your back, "You okay?"

You looked up at him, "Yeah, God, I was just so scared as I sat at the bar that something was going to happen," you explained, the memories flashing in front of your eyes, "I was scared for only a split second because as soon as that fear set in, he saved me,"

That was basically your admission for your love to him, your version of shakespeares sonnet, your version of a Jane Austen book, your way of telling Joel that Tommy meant everything to you and he knew it.

He knew you’d been in love since the second that your troubled souls had met. You were the light that filled his darkness, that filled the void that the war left in you and he was the light that filled your darkness, that filled the doubt in your mind about yourself.

"God, I'm too drunk for this," you groaned and he placed a bottle of water in your hands from the backseat.

"You drink your water sweetheart, ill go get him," he said, rubbing one more hand over your back before walking out, closing the door behind him.

They werent in thee for long, although you were sure that Joel was swearing at Tommy for fighting someone and Tommy was defending you, but when they came back out, you jumped out the car.

Tommy pulled you into his arms instantly but before you had time to relish in the hug, he pulled away, hands cradling your face as he examined you for any serious injuries after he found out what had happened.

"Why are we rushing?" You asked, unsure why there was such a panic between the boys to get out of the police station.

"Somrthings happened doll," Tommy said, reaching down and pressing a kiss to your cheek, "We have to go home,"

If he had the time and the world wasnt about to end, he would have kissed you there until you couldn’t breathe, until the world faded away and it was only you two. He would’ve done it now as he knew the world could end but he was too scared, scared that they wouldn’t make it back to Sarah in time.

He ushered you into the the backseat of the car and you looked at him confused. The news hadnt set in yet and the shock was sill in your system.

Tommy sat in the drivers seat, the two brothers not even squabbling about who got to drive. That’s was one of the things that sent that worry back in you, the urgency of it. Joel turned on the radio, looking at his younger brother as they listened to the news blaring though the car.

You listened to the radio, heart pounding in your chest as you listened to it, "With the recent violent outbreaks across the city and the country, all citizens are advised to go home and lock their doors as soon as possible," it explained. As you kept listening to it, you felt the worry bubble up in your chest.

It felt like you were underwater and drowning, a heavy weight on your chest at the news that the world could end. You shook your head, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to prick at your eyes, "Tommy? Joel? What's going on?"

Tommy looked back at you and normally you would scold him for not paying enough attention to the road but right now, you just wanted him to tell you what’s

"I was in the fell and this dude tried to grab my leg and just as he did, I was let out on bail," he explained, the story not making any sense to you and you werent sure if it was because you were worried or if you were too drunk.

"And?" You questioned, not understand where he was going.

Tommy sucked in a sharp breath as he remembered what had just happened, his heart still going at a million miles a minute, "And, when I left, he started biting at this other guy in the cell, like chewing his face off," he explained, looking back at you in the backseat.

You felt the bile rising up in your throat at the idea, "Chewing his face off?" You questioned, trying to figure out what it meant.

You barely even heard the sound of Joel starting up the car and starting to drive back to Sarah because you kept thinking it over and over again. You head was swimming with the ideas of what was happening and you could feel your heart speeding up at the thought.

"Apparently there's some violent virus going around," Joel explained.

Your eyes never left Tommy as Joel answered your question, "You don't have it, do you Tommy?" The words fell from your lips before you could even think about the reprousions of it. But even then, with the threat of him being infected with something, you didn't move away from him.

"No, I feel fine sugar," he said, a hand reaching out to grab yours and even at this awkward angle, his thumb still brushed across your knuckles soothingly, something he always did when he was worried, "How are you? That man didn't bother you anymore did he?"

Although you were worried about the state of the world, you felt your heart skip a beat at his words of worry, at the idea that the world was falling apart but his only priority was you and your safety.

"No Tommy, I'm fine," you said, squeezing his hand before letting it go, watch as his arm retreated back round, "I'm just glad you're okay, I don't know what I'd do ithout you,"

Joel spoke up for the first time in a while, "We have to go get Sarah and the we have to get out of here,"

Thats whe the realisation of the whole thing hit you. If it was starting in the cities then it could have easily been you and Tommy, you were both lucky enough to have survived. Thats when you thought about your family, gasping suddenly, "My God. My whole family is in Austin, what if Somethings happened to them,"

The brothers looked at one another, sharing a look that mean that they knew that there was a high chance your family wasn’t going to make it. Joel noticed the look in Tommys eyes that conveyed that he was going to make sure she made it no matter the cost.

He turned back with a half hearted smile on his face, trying to give you a sliver of hope even though he didnt think there was any, "They'll be fine doll, okay? But right now, I have to protect you and we need to go get Sarah,"

You nodded, pursing your lips together as you tried to hold in your tears, trying not to think about your family getting infected by whatever this is, "Okay, I can do this," you said and he nodded.

"We'll make it out, all of us, I promise," He said and you hoped he was right.

You had spent the entire fifteen minute drive trying to wrap your head around everything and as you pulled into the street, the car jostling you around in the back, you had manage to compose yourself. You were going to protect Sarah no matter what you had to do and you had to be strong for her, not worrying about your own issues.

It had been silence the entire drive and you could feel the tension in the air as everyone wondered if Sarah was okay, theoretically she should be asleep but they didnt know what could have happened.

The car jolted as Joel stopped suddenly in front of his house, the sight of Sarah running across the front lawn back to their house.

You pulled the door open as soon as the car came to a stop and watched Joel jump out as well, a wrench in his hand. He was ready to do anything he had to do to help Sarah and if you were thinking clearly and the adrenaline wasnt rushing through your veins, you would have wondered where he had gotten the wrench from.

You watched as Tommy stepped out, a shotgun in his hands and you questioned where he got it from. Then you remembered he had left the police station with it and thats when the gravitas of he situtuaion hit you. This was worse than you thought.

You stood at the door, watching as Sarahs head whipped around to see her dad as he called out to her, “Sarah! Get over here now!” You had never heard his voice sound so harsh before but you could also hear the fear in his voice too.

There was nothing you could do but watch as the elderly neighbour started to crawl across the patio, making a gurgling noise as she rushed over to where Sarah was, running faster than she'd ever seen before.

Tommy could feel the fear building up in his chest, adrenaline pumping though his veins as he thought about what he was going to do to protect his family, to protect all that he had.

“What are we doing Joel?” Tommy asked, the shotgun steady in his hand and you thought about his time in the war, wondering what he was like back then. You assumed he had the same focus in his eyes but you also assumed there wasnt that much worry in his eyes when he was about to kill someone.

Joel didnt even think about it for a second, didnt hesitate as he wound the wrench up, whacking the old woman round the head. It killed her instantly, the blood pooling down her body as she crumpled to the floor.

Tommys eyes instantly darted to you to see your reaction to the murder and any other time you’d be flattered that he focused on you first but right now, you were standing in shock, eyes trained on the dead body on the floor. Only yesterday morning you had seen he happy, food being stuffed into her mouth and now she was dead.

You werent too worried, you had seen a lot of things in your life, had an issue with violent people in the past but you’d never seen a dead body before.

Sarah stood there, a similar shocked look on her face as she looked at the body, her eyes glossed over. She looked up at her father when he walked over, his hands coming to cup her cheeks, “You killed her,” her voice was meek and you could tell that she was totally in shock.

His face softened as he looked at her, “Its not just the Adlers babygirl, but we’re gonna be brave,” he promised and she nodded.

You walked over, arm wrapping around the girls shoulder as you walked her to the car, ushering her into the backseat as you walked round the side to get in that side behind Tommy.

You settled in and as soon as you looked up and through the windshield, you saw the two other Adlers coming through, their faces and bodies contorted into the same weird angles as Nana Adlers as they stormed down the road towards the car.

“Get your seatbelt on!” Joel exclaimed and as soon as you and Sarah strapped in, Tommy had put his foot on the pedal and had driven over the two, crushing them as they drove into the exit of the cul-de-sac.

Sarah had been sitting there quiet and whilst everyone in the car was silent, everyone outside was loud, car horns beeping and sirens blaring. Suddenly, she broke the silence, “What’s going on?” She asked, her voice just as timid as it was when she had seen Nana Adlers body be mutilated by her father.

Joel looked back, his arm on the chair as he looked back at her, “They said its a virus, some sort of parasite,” he explained.

“Are we sick?” She asked, eyes wide as she looked at you.

You reached over, hand on her shoulder as you rubbed it soothingly, “Course not,” you promised, trying to calm her down.

You could never imagine how she was feeling at this moment, her entire life having been turned upside down and she knew nothing about it. She was only twelve and didnt deserve to be suffereing like this.

“How do you know? How do you know we’re not sick?” she asked, her voice breaking a bit at the end.

Joel looked at his brother and then back at his daughter, “They’re saying its people in the city, that’s why they’ve got the highway blocked off,” he explained.

“The Adlers would take Nana to the city,” Sarah said almost vanacntly, her eye strained on the front windshield as they derived through the streets.

“That’s probably it hun, well be fine,” you said taking the girls hand into yours, rubbing your thumb over her knuckles and feeling her calm down a bit.

They drove through the streets and you narrowed your eyes in the distance ass you saw some farm on fire, “God, that’s Jimmys place,” Tommy stated and you remembered him having worked on the farm about two years ago.

As Tommy stared at the field, teh car driving past, it was like all time slowed down. For the first time sine he was nearly attacked in that cell and had stolen a shotgun from the police, he thought about what had happened and the consequences of what had happened.

He looked at you in the front view mirror, watching as you put on a smile to try and comfort Sarah. There was something about him that loved you even more in this moment as he thought about the potentiality of losing you, something that made his stomach turn into knots at the idea.

They drove through the dirt back roads and onto the main highway and Tommy slammed his hadn on the wheel in annoyance, swearing out loud, “Everyone had the same fucking idea!”

You reached a hand over the seat, coming to rest on his shoulder. You squeezed it gently, feeling the tension in his shoulders melt away slightly at the touch of your hand. He reached a hand back, one still on the wheel, to touch your hand over his, finger swiping over your knuckles before going back to the wheel.

“If we take the field, we can pick up the highway on the west side,” you suggested and he nodded.

He harshly turned the wheel, the car jerking to the side as they drove across the field. You didnt care how bumpy it was, how dangerous what he was doing was but you needed to save your family that you had built with them. There wasnt anything you wouldn’t do to protect them and to make sure that they were all okay.

Tommy turned another corner on the field, stopping when he saw the army lined up in an attempt to stop the spread from reaching the small towns, “The fucking army,” he exclaimed.

“Language Tom,” you reprimanded, more by instinct then anything else and he just ignored your comment.

“Keep moving. Head north,” Joel demanded and Tommy hesitated, Joel shaking his head in horror, “Tommy, come on,”

Sarah looked at you, speaking up for the first time in a while, “Where are we gonna go?” She asked.

“We go as far as we have to, Mexico if we have to,” Joel said, “Go to the river, get across. Pick up the highway and then we’re out,”

“Maybe it’s everywhere, maybe there’s nowhere to go,” Sarah stated, fear evident in her voice and once again you were reminded she was only twelve and being forced to suffer all of this.

“We’ll be fine kid,” you promised her but you werent sure how far it would go.

You watched as Tommy turned the corner into the two you were so familiar with. There was people running around everywhere and you looked at the town you once knew. You remembered walking around with Tommy on a hot summers day, ice cream in your hands and you remembered that one winter where it snowed and he took you out to make snow angels in the park.

Now there were crowds everywhere, some of them eating each other’s faces off and you were hit by the reality of it all, of the ways that the world had changed in the last few hours and everything that you had lost.

The crowds were taking up the street in front of them and Tommy slowed down, trying not to hit them and Joel yelled at his brother, mad that he was prioritising these other people over their safeties. Tommy just looked over at him, shocked that Joel wanted to run these people down, “I cant drive through them”

“Keep going!” He exclaimed and Tommy did, putting his foot down on the pedal.

People start rushing forwards in the direction of he car and thats when they realsied that something must be going on in the distance if a larger crowd was coming in their direction.

“Back!” Joel yelled out, the safety of his family more important than these people, “Tommy, go faster, mow the fuck over them,”

Tommy put his arm on the shoulder of the chair, looking back at the people and like normal, you would’ve freaked out on how undeniably sexy the action was, but right now you were just worried about what was going to happen.

“Dad!” Sarah exclaimed and you looked through the windshield and saw the plane coming down towards them, the fire erupting in the distance.

The plane crashed down and you blacked out immediately, the force of your head smashing into the car seat. Tommys vision went black for a second as he sat in the front seat but when he opened his eyes, the first thing he did was look behind at you.

When he noticed that you hadnt moved since the crash, he clawed his way out of the car door on his knees, jerking the door open as he pulled you out, your head resting in his lap.

Every single thought in his head was gone at the moment and for a second, all he could think about was you. As he looked down at you, tears pricking in the back of his eyes as he thought about what his life would be like without you and he shook his head, knowing that there was no future without you.

“Is everything okay over there?” Joel asked after he pulled Sarah out, the girls ankle injured from the crash.

His breath hitched in his throat, “She’s not waking up, shit, wake up please,” he begged, one hand coming up to brush the singular tear that had escaped his eye away, “What do I do Joel?”

Joel had never heard his brother be that worried before but the sight of him cradling your body made his heart hurt at the idea of his brother losing you.

“Come on babygirl, wake up for me,” Tommy begged, his finger interlocking with yours and when he felt you squeeze his hand, he looked down.

Your eyes fluttered open and you felt your head pounding at the accident and when you looked up at him, all your worries went away because you had Tommy.

He let out a relieved sigh, taking a deep steady breath, “She’s okay,” he exclaimed, calling out to Joel who was trapped on the other side of the car.

You sat up, Tommys hand supporting your back, his other hand resting on your stomach, “Is everyone okay?” You asked, blinking back the bleariness in your eyes as you fought off a concussion.

“We’re fine,” Sarah called out.

Tommy helped you up, one hand wrapped securely around your waist and the other around your shoulders. He looked down at you, brushing a stray hair away from your face as he checked that you were okay again.

Joel was about to walk around to check on you, Sarah holding onto him due to her injury, and when he did, another car crashed into theirs, blocking the exit.

“Head to the river, we’ll find a way,” Tommy called out.

Sarah looked at her father as they started to walk away, “We cant leave her and Tommy,” she exclaimed.

Joel looked back over his shoulder, watching Tommy looking at you, his hands cradling your face and he smiled to himself, “They’ll be fine,”

You and Tommy somehow managed to make it all the way to the field and you werent feeling the effects of the concussion too heavily, although your head was spinning and you felt slightly sick, you also attributed it to the whole end of the world thing.

As you thought back to the crash and when you had been knocked out, you remembered what woke you up. When you felt like you were drowning in the darkness, the sound of Tommys voice brought you back into the light.

You felt your knees buckle as you crossed through the field and the only thing that was holding you up was Tommys hand secured on your waist. You felt the panic in his voice as he looked down at you, “Come on baby, come on,” he begged and you nodded, standing on shaky legs as you continued to head to the rendezvous point.

Tommy felt the adrenaline from earlier melt away and instead panic overtook him and for the first time in his life, he was absolutely terrified. He couldn’t even imagine losing you in such a way and it was the last straw in proving that he was completley and utterly in love with you.

You thought you saw the river but before you did, you saw two people in front of the river, another man standing there with a gun and that’s when you noticed that the little girl was Sarah but you were too late, a gun firing and the two people falling to the ground.

“Can you stand sugar?” He asked, clearly having noticed that the two people were his brother and his niece and you nodded, “Stay here,”

He let go of you and you stood on your own, watching as he rushed towards the scene and you tried to rush over but with your head pounding from the accident, you felt like you couldn’t stand right.

You heard another gunshot aand your breath hitched in your throat at the image of Tommy dying but he didnt fall, the army man falling instead. You rushed over as fast as you could, a sudden boost of adrenaline hitting you as you fell into his arms, his body supporting your weight.

You gasped when you saw Sarah lying there, blood seeping from her body. It was like seeing your entire life flash before your eyes as you saw the twelve year old girl dying.

The moment flashed fast and you didnt even realise it was happening as you heard Joel yelling out for help, for them to save his daughter but they couldn’t do anything as she died in his arms.

You watched him cry as he cradled her in his arms just like Tommy had been to you earlier and you were reminded of how lucky you were to have lived. It was the start of your life in this new world and you werent ready for it at all.

Outbreak day had started and now you had to fight.

A/N thank you so much for everyone for wanting to read this and I hope you've enjoyed it so far. If you want to read more you can check the mastrerlist. Also if you want to be added to the taglist, just send me an ask or comment and I'll add you :)

Taglist: @eternallyvenus

[tofueggnoodles]

Drama CD Saiyuki Memorial Pack Disk 2 – Track 2: Working for Nothing

Download from here (/Saiyuki Drama CDs/Saiyuki Misc/Drama_CD_-_Memorial_Packs.rar )

Summary: Having lost the credit card, the Ikkou worked at a restaurant to earn their keep. And yes, Gojyo told Sanzo he looked cute in waiter's apron.

--------

Gojyo: Ah, why are we so unlucky?

Sanzo: Shut up.

Gojyo: There were many things I thought we could do during this break from our journey. And now, of all things, we’re washing dishes in a restaurant....

Hakkai: It can’t be helped, Gojyo.

Gojyo: It could have been! It’s all because this stupid monkey lost Sanzo’s credit card in the first place!

Goku: Don’t call me a stupid monkey! I accidentally dropped the card somewhere, so it can’t be helped. But, I thought I returned the card to Sanzo....

Gojyo: ‘It can’t be helped, it can’t be helped.’ Stop parroting those words already! Sanzo, it’s because you handed over the card to such an idiot and made him go buy stuff that this disaster happened in the first place. If you haven’t–

Hakkai: Gojyo, that’s why we’re all now working to earn our keep. Besides, in just a few days, the procedure for reissuing the card will be completed. We only have to work here until today, okay?

Gojyo: Seriously!

Hakkai: By the way, Sanzo–

Sanzo: What is it?

Hakkai: What did you send Goku out to get?

Sanzo: Cigarettes.

Gojyo: Why, you. If it’s just cigarettes you wanted, you should’ve just bought them with small change, instead of sending Goku out with the credit card!

Sanzo: It’s my principle not to carry things heavier than a chopstick. [implying he has ‘servants’ to do the heavy carrying for him.]

Gojyo: You....

Hakkai: So Sanzo’s gun is lighter than a chopstick.

Restaurant owner: Hey, you guys!

Hakkai: Ah, master!

Restaurant owner: Are you doing your work properly? I’m going out for a bit, so I’ll entrust this place to you.

Hakkai: Er, that’d be a bit–

Restaurant owner: If you don’t perform your tasks to my satisfaction, I’ll have to extend your employment period beyond the ten days we agreed upon. (walks out)

Goku: What nationality is he?

--------

Gojyo: He said he’d entrust this place to us.

Hakkai: There’s no other choice but to do it.

Sanzo: What a bother.

Goku: Sanzo, I’ve somehow gotten hungry.

Sanzo: Like I care.

Goku: I’m hungry. I’m hungry!

(Sanzo hits him with the paper fan.)

Goku: That hurts!

Hakkai: At any rate, we’ll have to divide the work among us.

Gojyo: Yeah, that’s how it’ll have to go, I guess.

Hakkai: Yes. If we do our jobs well, the owner might release us earlier.

Sanzo: You made it sound as if we were prisoners!

Gojyo: Actually, we’re no different from prisoners.

Hakkai: Well then, let’s do it like this: I’ll be in charge of the kitchen–

Gojyo: Yep, you’re sure qualified for that.

Goku: Me too!

Gojyo: Aren’t you just planning to snatch some food when no-one’s looking? No way we’re leaving the kitchen to you! (hits Goku)

Goku: Aw!

Hakkai: As for the dining area, I’ll leave it to Sanzo and Gojyo.

Gojyo: Roger! 😉

Sanzo: Looks like you’re very much looking forward to it.

Gojyo: That’s because I’ll be taking on the female customers. You take care of the guys.

Sanzo: Hmmph. What a simple-minded fellow.

Goku: Hakkai, what about me?

Hakkai: Er, indeed, what about you.... That’s it: washing the dishes and cleaning the floor.

Goku: Eh?!

Gojyo: Just do it without complaining.

(The door creaks open.)

Hakkai: Everyone, the customers are arriving already.

--------

Gojyo (waits upon a group of young women): Welcome! What would be your order? Anything would be fine. Pot stickers, is it? Yes, got it. Boiled ones, right? Just wait for a moment. I’ll bring them here soon. (to himself) Oh, they’re all so cute.

Woman 1: I want a beer.

Gojyo: A beer for the lady, roger.

Woman 2: Soda for me.

Gojyo: Okay, soda. It’ll be here soon.

Woman 3: Chocolate cocktail. **

Gojyo: Ordering alcohol already this early in the day, how cute....

(He walks away from the table.)

Gojyo: Ah, it’s pretty fun waiting on the ladies.

Sanzo: Then you can remain here for the rest of your life if you wish.

Gojyo: Sanzo, you look cute in that apron too. ❤️

Sanzo: I see. You have a death wish.

(The door opens.)

Gojyo: There, Sanzo. A couple of guys just walked in.

Sanzo (clicks his tongue): You go and serve them.

Gojyo: We agreed on it just now, didn’t we?

Sanzo: Who agreed to it when?

Gojyo: Cut it out and just go! (pulls Sanzo along)

Sanzo: Stop that!

Gojyo: Welcome! A table for two, right? This guy will take your orders.

Sanzo: Gojyo, you–

Gojyo: I leave the rest to you.

Sanzo (sighs as the customers riffle through the menu): Are you done yet?

Man 1: Hah?

Sanzo: Your orders. Haven’t you decided on them yet?

Man 2: I’ll have fried rice and pot stickers with extra garlic. Also, a century egg platter and soup.

Man 1: I’ll have crab omelet rice, a roasted pork fillet platter and prawn buckwheat noodles with steamed meat dumplings.

Sanzo: Reduce them.

Man 1: Eh?

Sanzo: It’d be tiresome otherwise, so I’m telling you to reduce your orders.

Man 2: Hah? What are you going on about?

Sanzo: Just fried rice and pot stickers should be enough for you.

Man 1: Oi, is it your place to make such an unreasonable demand from a customer? Are you trying to pick a fight?

Sanzo: You’re annoying. Who do you think is going to carry those orders?

Man 2: You’re the one who’s annoying. We’re typical working men–

Man 1: We came here after doing manual labor, so naturally we feel like filling our stomachs with everything on the menu. Stop complaining and feed us now!

Sanzo: In that case, eat this! (shoves something into the men’s mouths) Hah! Tastes good, doesn’t it? (shoots twice)

Man 1 (coughs): You bastard!

Man 2 (spits out something): Screwing with us like that! Isn’t this just some sticky juice?

Sanzo: It’s pineapple.

Both men: You son of a bitch!

Gojyo (runs up to the table): What are you doing, Sanzo?

Sanzo: They told me they were pretty hungry, so I fed them some appetizers.

Gojyo: Oh, is that so, Sanzo? Looks like you had quite some fun coming to their aid– No, that’s not it! Not at all! It’s the customers you’re dealing with. Customers!

Goku: Wai!

Gojyo: Stupid monkey! Don’t wave the mop about like that!

Goku: I’m bored out of my mind cleaning the floor. Where are the bad guys, Gojyo?

Gojyo: There are no bad guys.

Sanzo: They’re over there, having just devoured their appetizers like a couple of hogs. **

Gojyo: Sanzo!

Man 1: You guys....

Man 2: You all are nothing but a bunch of idiots.

Gojyo: Sanzo’s not just an idiot.

Goku: He’s a baldy idiot. [hage(禿 ) can mean either baldy or idiot.]

Gojyo: That’s right.

Sanzo: You bastards.

(Several gunshots ring out.)

Man 1: You’re making fun of us!

Man 2: Now you've got it coming!

(A fight breaks out. Screams and more gunshots are heard.)

Hakkai: Yes, a plate of Provence-style white fish saute with pear sauce, coming up!

Gojyo: No-one ordered such a thing.

Hakkai: Eh? That’s strange. First-rate flounder topped with the sauce made from a well-ripened pear – a most exquisite dish made of top quality products. Ah, it brings to mind the fresh breeze of Hijuu. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiju_Dam?oldid=464979111]

Gojyo: When did you ever go to such a place?

(The door opens.)

Hakkai: Ah.

Gojyo: Eek!

Restaurant owner: What on earth are you guys doing?!

--------

Gojyo: In the end, with the additional ten days, we worked without pay for a total of twenty days.

Hakkai: It’s still much better than getting killed.

Sanzo: That should at least do you guys some good.

Gojyo: You...!

Goku: Hey, would you guys stop fighting? I get more and more hungry just listening to your quarrel.

Gojyo: Shut your trap, stupid monkey! If you hadn’t lost the credit card in the first place, we wouldn’t be subjected to nearly a month of servitude!

Goku: Aargh! Until when are you going to to hold this against me?

Hakkai: Gojyo! Goku! Please stop!

Goku: Let go, damn kappa!

Gojyo: Like I’m going to, you dumb monkey!

Sanzo: Be quiet! (hits them) You’re all good for nothing but being annoying!

(Something falls onto the ground.)

Goku: Ouch! Won’t you go a bit easier on us? Ah, you dropped something, Sanzo.

Hakkai: Ah!

Gojyo: Huh...? Ah!

Sanzo: Hmm?

Gojyo: Sanzo-san, what on earth is the thing that has fallen at your feet?

Sanzo: Oh.

Goku (reads out aloud): Celestial World Express Gold Card.

Hakkai: Sanzo, you forgot that Goku’s returned the credit card to you, didn’t you?

Gojyo: Hey, say something.

Sanzo: That’s how it is.

Gojyo: Don’t say it so calmly!

Sanzo: I’m not a man who dwells in the past.

Hakkai: So we’ve been left stranded for nothing.

Gojyo: Really. You’re a hopeless guy. Are you suffering from memory loss?

Goku: Memory loss?

Hakkai: It’s a predicament in which one becomes more and more forgetful as one turns elderly.

Goku: So Sanzo is already a geezer.

Gojyo: I sure don’t want to grow old that way, Hakkai!

Hakkai: He’ll hear you, Gojyo!

Gojyo: You think so? Nah, his hearing’s probably gone too.

Hakkai (laughs): That’s a nice way of putting it.

Gojyo: Ah, I want him to repay us for those tough, gloomy twenty days we went through.

Goku: Let’s have him treat us to some fancy meal for tonight’s dinner!

Hakkai: Maybe we’ll lose the card again then.

(The three of them laugh.)

Sanzo: You guys were saying whatever you pleased just because I was listening quietly! (shoots his gun a few times and hits them on the head with the paper fan)

Goku: Whoa! Sanzo’s getting angry!

Gojyo: How terrible! Lashing out like that despite being in the wrong!

Sanzo: I’ll kill anyone who goes against me! (shoots some more)

Hakkai: It’s dangerous! He’s getting violent!

(Sanzo gets ready to unleash a spell.)

Gojyo: Crap! Get away!

Sanzo: Makai Tenjo!

(The other three scream.)

--------

(Round brackets): actions and sound effects. [Square brackets]: translator’s notes. Double asterisks **: Stuff I am not sure with. Suggestions for improvements and corrections are more than welcome.

[aniron48]

Love Letters - Day 7

Welcome to Day 7 of Love Letters, a 00q choose your own adventure! We are in the final stretch now--there will be one more poll tomorrow night, and then we'll wrap on Tuesday, 2/14 around 9:15ish EST.

If you're joining for the first time, you can catch up here: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6

And if you've been voting with us all along, finally--finally--you've unlocked Eve Moneypenny! Well done, chaos muppets. Day 7 starts below the cut. 💜

He didn’t know what had brought Moneypenny to Bath, but it was imperative that he follow her and find out.

Bond waited in the shadow of a newsstand, pretending to look at magazines, until Moneypenny came out of the patisserie, carrying a small pink box wrapped in twine. After a moment, he began to follow, taking care to stay out of her line of sight. This close to the river, the February air had a wet chill to it that made Bond grateful for the scarf he’d brought with him from London. He wrapped it closer around his neck, taking care to arrange it so that it would further obscure his face from view if Moneypenny turned around.

He followed her south for awhile, and then west, toward the Pulteney Bridge. As Bond dodged patrons coming out of a coffee shop, Moneypenny suddenly turned down an alley behind one of the shops.

Bond picked up his pace, trying not to lose her. When he turned the corner, he found Moneypenny aiming a gun at him. Again.

“Once wasn’t enough, Moneypenny?”

“Jesus, Bond,” Moneypenny said, lowering her weapon. “You might want to consider redoing your surveillance training. I realized I had a tail three whole blocks ago. What are you doing here, anyway?”

“I might ask you the same thing.”

“I’m meeting someone.”

“Meeting whom, exactly? Did Mallory send you?”

“There you are, Eve,” said a voice from behind them. “Have you seen—“ Tanner stopped in his tracks. “Oh. Bond.”

“All right, what’s going on?”

Tanner opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Moneypenny grabbed him by the hand. “Fine. You’ve caught us. We’re having a bit of a lover’s holiday.”

Tanner looked from Moneypenny’s face to their joined hands and back again before saying, “Yes. A lover’s holiday.”

“I thought you were seeing that redhead in accounting. Brenna something.” Bond said.

“Yes, well, that’s why we’re sneaking around in Bath. Tanner hasn’t broken it off yet. Poor thing, she’s going to be devastated when she finds out.”

“Oh my god,” Tanner said faintly.

“But people bounce back. Brenda will bounce back, Tanner.”

“It’s Brenna.”

“Anyway, Bond, I don’t think you ever told us while you were here.” Moneypenny folded her arms.

Bond folded his arms back at her. “I’m here to buy Q a Valentine’s Day present. He’s been on about Bath since he watched Persuasion with you.”

“So you’re here to buy him—what, exactly?”

Bond reached for the first thing that came to mind. “A snow globe, if you must know. Of the city.”

“That’s surprisingly sweet. Let’s see it.”

“I haven’t bought it yet. I’m still looking.”

“Luckily for you, there’s a souvenir shop just around the corner,” Moneypenny said breezily. “Shall we go together?”

Twenty minutes later found Bond driving back to London with an extortionately-priced snow globe featuring a replica of the Bath Circus, and Tanner and Moneypenny crammed into the passenger seat of the DB8.

“We really could have taken the train back, Bond,” Tanner said.

“Really,” Moneypenny added, turning away to tap out a message on her mobile, accidentally elbowing Tanner in the stomach as she did so.

“Nonsense,” said Bond. “I insist. This will be much quicker. I know it’s a squeeze, but you lovebirds don’t mind a bit of a cuddle, do you?”

“Not at all,” Moneypenny said, smiling in a way that suggested she’d quite like to cut his brake lines.

“Unless there’s a reason you wanted to take the train, of course. If there is, just let me know, and I can drive you back to the station.”

“Well—“ Tanner began.

“No, no reason,” Moneypenny said. “I’m sure we’ll all enjoy the drive.”

“I know I will,” said Bond. He pulled up the music app on his phone, searched for the album entitled “Scotland: Bagpipe Classics,” and hit play.

Back in London, he dropped Tanner and Moneypenny in front of her building. Before they could walk away, however, Bond rolled down the driver’s side window. 

“Moneypenny,” he called after her. “Why were you and Tanner really in Bath?”

She walked back to the car and bent down to look in the window. “You first. I want the truth, Bond. Were you really there for Q?”

“Yes, I was. I can promise you that.”

She studied him for a minute, before saying, “Then let’s just say we have a mutual interest.”

She turned and walked away, lifting a hand in farewell.

Two days later, Bond received a package in the mail. It was a small, narrow box wrapped in brown paper, addressed to Bond in Q’s unmistakeable handwriting, and bearing a postmark from Bath.

Inside the box was an elegant fountain pen, the same cloudy-grey color as the Aston Martin, with the initials ‘JHB’ engraved on it in a looping monogram.

It couldn’t be.

Bond examined the pen from every angle, taking care not to drop or shake it, even though surely Q wouldn’t have sent the pen through the Royal Mail if it contained explosives.

At least, Bond didn’t think. 

He ran his fingers over the pen one more time, feeling for a catch or a hidden button, but aside from its beauty, the pen appeared to be unremarkable. Unless—yes. There it was.

There's no way I'd let you accidentally blow up Bond right before the end of this choose your own adventure, right? *OR WOULD I...???* 😁

[inafieldofdaisies]

WIP Wednesday | Tagged by @socially-awkward-skeleton @nightbloodraelle & @direwombat <3 | Tagging @vampireninjabunnies-blog @strangefable @shegetsburned @fourlittleseedlings and anyone else with something to share

I'm coming at you this week with the first chapter from Calahan's POV (would this be a regular things, no idea), I'm including two snippets from Chapter 4 since I'm yet again torn about what to cut.

Needless to say there will be mentions of violence because he's escaping some Peggies and there's nobody to hold him back.

“Go, Calahan! I mean it. FUCKING RUN.” Calahan could hear the desperation in Sabrina's voice. The Gray he knew was always so stoic, unflinching when dealing with the Peggies, but from the second they set foot in Joseph's church, it was as if a switch have been flipped, coming face to face with the bastard himself had rattled her deeply. She somehow knew the arrest would end badly and tried her hardest to warn them. And yet, he was too busy trying to wrap things up in attempt to get them all away from the compound as soon as possible. His instincts were screaming at him to get HER away from John Seed's calculating gaze. Calahan saw the way he stared at Sabrina, as if an opportunity had finally been presented to him. The fucker was giddy to see her. The look on his face said it all: he found her distress entertaining and the way he was watching her… he was waiting to pounce, like an animal on its prey.

Gray's voice kept echoing in his mind as he ran through the dark woods, a dampness hung in the air, making it hard to breathe, to push forward. Shouts of Joseph's men carried over from all directions, a confirmation they were still on his tail, searching tirelessly, refusing to see their leader's captors get away. He was being hunted, and not in the fun way. Guilt was weighing heavy on him. Calahan knew it was too late for the others, in a blink Joseph's men were surrounding the helicopter, taking away Hudson, Whitehorse, Pratt, but the fire had bought him time, enough to get Sabrina out, yet she insisted he leave her. He knew why, she was protecting him, choosing to get herself out on her own, refusing to chance both of then getting caught. Idiot. Why did I abandon her?! Just like I abandoned him. He kept hoping she would catch up, that she'd make true on her promise to follow close behind. That moment never came. A small hunting tower appeared among the trees, first sight of civilization on his path so far. Calahan climbed it in search of a weapon, he had lost his gun in the chaos of the crash. All he found was a hunting knife and his pursuers were armed to the teeth. "Keep your eyes open, those Sinners could be anywhere." The voice was coming from close by, from a camp just below him. Two Peggies were standing near a campfire, no doubt part of the search for him and he was about to greet them. Hunt them like they were hunting him. Calahan got down from his lookout spot, silently moving towards his targets. In his dealings with Eden's Gate usually he'd take any opportunity to cause as much ruckus as possible, the louder, the better. Silent approach or deescalation wasn't his method of operating, it was more fun to see them lose their shit, to make them feel the same anger he felt after Joseph destroyed his family. Whitehorse had plenty to say about his performance as a Deputy, probably would have had a lecture prepared for his next moves too. He gave no fucks about the paperwork, the code of conduct, he had to fight back if he wanted to survive, those that didn't escape depended on him to get help. "I never thought I'd see the Reaping happen, brother.", the younger Peggie picked that exact moment to take a piss, heading away from the fire, turning his back on his companion. Judging by the lack of awareness and how unsure he was in his patrol movements, Calahan guessed the cultist couldn't had much experience. The incaution presented an opportunity for him to strike. "Joseph's always right, he knew they'd try to take him from us, God spoke to him and now He is going to-", the companion's sentence was cut off, followed by desperate gurgling as Calahan slit his throat from behind. "Why don't you go meet him yourself.", came as a whisper from Hartley.

"What-", the Peggie fumbled with his pants, a horrified expression on his face at the sight of his buddy's body splayed in the mud. Before another word left his mouth or he had time to reach for his gun, Calahan had thrown the knife straight at his eye, ending the poor guy's unfortunate first night of patroling. "Two down. A whole ass cult more left to go." He was searching the bodies as Burke's voice came from his walkie, "Hello? Anyone hearing me? It's Burke. I think I lost them… I see… a trailer nearby, it's next to a long bridge. I'm gonna try and get inside. If anyone's still out there, if anyone's alive-" "Marshal? I'm on my way. Over." Calahan got no reply back, but he had a weapon now, and a destination. Through the trees in the distance he could almost make out the bridge the Marshal had mentioned which meant the building he saw should be nearby. He pushed forward, not wanting to waste time in case someone decided to check in on the dead men behind him. "Next time I'm bringing a flamethrower, a bag of grenades and Sharky. Can't fucking believe we set a foot in Joseph's compound unprepared. Whitehorse, you foolish old man.", Calahan mumbled to himself, feeling like he'd lose his mind any second, the steps he took felt doubled with no sight of the trailer anywhere ahead of him. Only pines upon pines and the starry sky above him. Just as he was about to give up and try to contact Burke again, in the darkness he saw it: the faint outline of a house made him pick up his pace even more. In few strides, he was at its front door. Locked. Fucking perfect. "Backdoor it is. That's what she s-." Focus, idiot. Calahan made his way towards the back, scowling at the Eden's Gate symbol sprayed on the wall. They were everywhere, taking over anything they could. Upon entry he was almost knocked out again as Burke lunged at him with a battle scream. "FRIENDLY, for fuck's sake.", Hartley shouted back, pushing the Marshal off him. "Jesus Christ… Rook. I'm sorry. I thought they got you… come on, come on.", the man that got them into this whole mess and then ran off, was out of breath. Burke pulled him further into the trailer, it looked like nothing short of the home of a madman. The bedroom walls were covered in pictures of Joseph Seed, some even framed. Eden's Gate bibles or as his followers called them "The Book of Joseph" lay on every available surface. The living room was no better with a giant portrait of the Seeds as a centerpiece. Really brings the homey feel to this horror show. "Oh Jesus! I had no idea. Fuck!", Burke pointed at the family picture, grabbing it off the wall and throwing it across the room as rage overtook him, "We're putting this whole family away. All of 'em. Fucking lunatics!" "Because the last time we tried that it all went so well. You fucking left us, chief.", Calahan shook his head. He had done the same to Sabrina, but he had to direct his anger at something. "It would be different, I'm gonna make sure of it. We're going to get out of this, Rookie.", the Marshal walked towards a gun rack, grabbing a rifle. "First, we gotta arm outselves. Here.", he passed it to Hartley, then reloaded his pistol. "You got a tank hidden somewhere to go with that?" "Ha. Alright, here's what we're gonna do. There's a road out there. We're gonna take it, we're gonna head northeast. It's probably only a few hours back to Missoula. And then we're gonna come back here with the goddamn National Guard and we're gonna take out the rest of these--" Burke's pep talk halted at voices coming from the outside. "Come around this way! Check inside the trailer!"

They had company. "They're in there!" was all Calahan could hear, followed by series of gunshots that shattered the windows of their shelter. He got into position at one of them, the situation was becoming familiar, so many times he'd found himself surrounded by angry Peggies with little cover. He was ready to fight his way out of there too. In a flash he took out the men in front of him, a clean, methodical kill. Then just because he could, he blew up a red flammable barrel and with it the last remaining Peggie. Sharky would have been proud. "This is what you get for hiding behind exposive shit!"

"Dutch, you're lucky I'm not afraid of heights." His last task was to get the Radio Tower on the island back online if they were to reach more people. "Just don't fall off, Rook." "Okay, ready?", Calahan flipped the switch. "We back online?" "Oh, yes, kid, and it's chaos. You better hurry over." And Dutch wasn't exaggerating, distress radio calls were coming in from all over the County, including Holland Valley. "Please! Is anyone there? The Peggies rolled in here like an army! Started throwing people into trucks…" Hartley recognized her voice immediately. Mary May. "I'm begging you if you've got a gun, get to Fall's End. John Seed's set on taking the whole town. Pastor Jerome and I will do whatever we can, but we need your help… Eden's Gate won't take us alive." "I have to get to them, Dutch." More of his friends were in danger and to think how quickly it all happened… It's like a nightmare on fast forward. "You will, kid. But before you go, there's something else you need to see. John Seed's been broadcasting it on a loop." Dutch turned on the TV and there he was: John Seed, grinning while cheery motivational music played in the background, wearing the same conniving look on his face that he had back in the church when he saw Sabrina. "We are all sinners. Every one of us." "You sure that's new? His bullshit broadcasts always start like this, Dutch." "Just watch, kid." Calahan listened to the same lines the fucker used over and over in attempt to convince people they are sinners, saying how he'd embrace them for it and free them through the "Power of Yes". It was nothing he hadn't seen before until it wasn't… Until the camera panned over to Hudson. The sight broke him- her face a mess from crying, a tape covering her mouth. "Yes, I am a sinner. Yes, I wish to be unburdened. Yes… I must be redeemed." John held Hudson by both shoulders, shaking her with each Yes, putting his hand on her throat. "If you're watching this, know that you have been selected. You will be cleansed. You will confess your sins, and you will be offered atonement. Don't worry you don't have to do anything. We'll come for you. Welcome to Eden's Gate." "Turn it off. NOW.", Calahan couldn't handle hearing the cheers around John for a minute longer. "Sorry, kid. But at least we know Hudson's alive." Silence took over the room. "Play it again, Dutch." "You okay, Rookie? You just screamed at me to turn off the TV and now-" "I have to see something." Dutch complied, "What are you looking for?" "Somebody I left behind." Gray. Does he have you too? The broadcast played over and over to the point Calahan swore he could hear John's voice echoing in his skull. It felt like he'd seen his smug face enough to last him for a whole lifetime. "How many times will you watch it?", Dutch was probably questioning his sanity. "She's not in it." "Who? I'm lost here, boy." "Sabrina. She's the newest Deputy. I left her, Dutch. Left her behind." "Kid, we all sometimes have to leave people behind-" "No. I shouldn't have. I shouldn't have listened to her." "You gonna get her back, get them all back." Dutch paused, "Still doesn't explain why you had to brainwash yourself with John Seed." "At the church. Something happened-- and he-- he was watching her. His look then… if she's anywhere, she'd be with him." Hartley was certain of it. He'd heard enough about John's obsessive nature and the way he stared at Gray set off alarm bells in his head. Her reaction at the church had made her a target, awoke an interest in the man. And I left you. "Rookie? You listening to me?" Calahan realized he had zoned out, and had no idea what Dutch had said in the past few minutes. "I said, if John has Sabrina why isn't she in the video? You know the man, the YES sign, billboards, his whole appearance… he loves to show off. Hudson was in it. Why wouldn't Sabrina be too?" "I don't know." "You just have to be level-headed about this. No rushing at John, unprepared. The people of Hope County need you, Deputy. Now more than ever."

[flatstarcarcosa]

They’ve barely had time to register the alarm ringing when Soldier Boy’s hand is clenched around their throat as he slams them into the wall.

“Who sent you?” he growls. His grip tightens, and Reese tries ineffectually to pry at his fingers.

“No one,” they gasp.

“Bullshit,” he snarls. “You show up asking very specific questions about very specific topics, and two hours later we’ve got infected inside my fucking fence?”

He bounces their head against the wall, and pulls the knife at his hip.

“Unless you want me to gut you and use what falls out as redirect bait, you better start answering,” he says.

“No one!”

“Bullshit!” he snaps again.

It’s then that he suddenly notices the emblem on the arm of their sunglasses; a small, silver V that makes him pause. His hold on them loosens.

“I- I didn’t-” says Reese.

“Close your eyes,” he says, gruffly.

Behind the black lenses, they blink.

“What?”

“Close your fucking eyes,” he snaps.

Confused, but acutely aware of the blade against their ribs, they comply. He lets go of their throat to yank the glasses of their face. Snapping the arm causes a small silver disc, roughly the size of one of the screw heads holding the frame together, to fall to the floor.

“Fucking Vought,” he hisses, before calling over his shoulder, “someone get me a pair of goddamn UV blockers!”

A moment later the uncomfortable, albeit familiar, feeling of plastic pinching the bridge of their nose and corners of their eyes settles into place.

“I liked those fucking sunglasses,” Reese snaps, opening their eyes. There’s a brief moment of disorientation as they adjust to the UV blockers. As the name implies, they block more light than glasses do, at the cost of feeling like they’re peeling the skin from your fucking face.

“Those sunglasses were bugged,” he says. He sheaths his knife, picks up a .45 from the table, and checks the magazine. “Someone’s known every move you’ve made since you bought them.”

“I didn’t,” they say. “I got them as a gift.”

He stops. “What?”

Gunshots echo faintly from outside. It’s a matter of seconds until the screaming follows them. Later, when the dead are ash and the ashes are bleached to the point of rendering the entire area lifeless for decades, he’ll find time to be pissed about several years without an outbreak getting ruined within three short hours.

“The retinal KA group, the whole reason I started on this, a bunch of us got them as gifts,” says Reese, adding, “anonymously donated.”

Soldier Boy’s lip curls.

He’d wanted to tell them they were chasing delusions, getting caught up in patterns that weren’t there, and have them fuck back off to wherever they came from. They show up with anecdotal stories and, at best, circumstantial evidence that people with reservoir conditions are disappearing at higher rates than normal people and he knows he wants nothing to do with it.

Ten minutes ago he could have confidently told them they were imagining it, but an entire group of the bastards getting an anonymous gift from Vought that’s carrying tracking devices is the kind of simple math even he can’t brush off.

The screaming begins to follow the gunshots. He passes them the .45 and crosses the room to pull another one from a weapons rack.

“You certified for that?” he asks, not really caring about the answer either way.

“Much as I can be while going blind every day,” they drawl.

“I’m gonna find where they broke through the fencing and plug the hole,” he says, pulling down a second gun.

“By yourself?” asks Reese.

“Cull whatever’s dead inside, and anyone about to be dead,” he continues, ignoring their question.

“Don’t your people need to know this, too?” they ask.

“They’re not my people,” he says sharply, adding, “and you’re the only one here who doesn’t know our outbreak protocol.”

“What?” they ask again.

Soldier Boy offers no further instructions, nor explanations. He pulls a shield from a spot closer to the door, and then kicks it open. Gunfire and screams amplify in volume, and Reese can’t help the way their gut flips in response.

They were born after the Rising. They’ve done enough field training for their weapons certifications, but it’s still not the same as a real outbreak. They blink, and Soldier Boy has disappeared into the chaos, leaving them no choice but to ready the weapon and step into it after him.

[wanderingaldecaldo]

Would love to a formative memory from both: (I figure due to their different life-paths, they might have different ones!)

Sk!Val and 🔫

as well as Corpo!Val and 🔫

Thanks for the ask from the Core Meme-ory game! I was asked already for SK!Val but she has several formative memories of Mitch (and that's before she considers him romantically). The next memory is a scene I have yet to write, so I'm excited! *cracks knuckles*

🔫- Mitch Anderson [SK!Val_Memory_02]

"If they got Mitch and Scorpion..." Panam trails off and her voice cracks, and V doesn't know how to offer comfort.

"I know, I know..."

Heart sinking, V watches the feed from the drone. A drone flies overhead and robots with automatic weapons march around guarding the crash site. She counts the burnt out husks of four nomad vehicles as Panam cries out for her fallen clan.

"V, if they --"

"Don't worry. We don't know for sure," V says, even as she sees another body.

Neither of them. She takes stock of the defenses and then they both see Mitch, hands in the air and walking back to the AV in custody of a robot. Further up she spots a pair of motorcycles, and just beyond them another body, this time wearing a familiar vest and hood.

Scorpion. Deceased.

All her fault. The pit in her stomach threatens to swallow her whole. She has to get to Mitch, has to save him, or she will never be able to forgive herself.

"Listen. We saw Mitch. They probably got Scorpion," V says. It's not the worst lie she's ever told, and besides, Panam will find out the truth soon enough.

Moments later, she's crouched behind a bolder, quickhacking the robots and drone. They don't last long against her, then she zigzags to the AV's control panel, allowing Panam to join her.

Once Panam is in position, V grabs the door and pries it open. The pilot holds Mitch as a shield, one arm around his neck, other holding a gun up to his head. In this moment, all she cares about is saving Mitch, keeping Panam's friend alive. She pulls her pistol, her backup for when the shotgun doesn't work or the Mantis Blades won't cut it. She closes her eyes, remembering where both Mitch and the pilot stood, then takes a deep breath, pops around the open doorway, and takes quick, careful aim. She fires without hesitation, and the pilot drops immediately.

As Mitch gasps in relief, so does she. She falls back to let them have their moment; Mitch attempts to patch Panam's wounds while she only wants to know about Scorpion. V's cowardice in the truck, her lies about Scorpion, means Mitch has to tell Panam the truth, that he's dead; no one survived.

As she turns away from Panam's anguish, she digs in her pockets for a pack of cigs that Johnny bought. She squats and sucks down the smoke that scorches her throat and listens to Panam and Mitch without looking at either of them, knowing she's the cause of their pain.

🔫- Mitch Anderson [Corpo!Val]

This scene is a fleshed-out version of a flashback I wrote for the corpo au. It's really important to Val, and really solidifies their friendship in her mind.

Val watches as Mitch drops to the chair and sips his beer. She could call the Caliburn and leave right now, let him have his solitude like he asked. But something about the way he carries his sadness plucks a chord in her chest; resonates with the same frequencies and depth as Jackie's. Instead she sits in the other chair, opens the cooler and grabs another beer, her long nails clicking as she pops the tab.

Mitch watches her, eyebrows drawn together and a frown pursing his lips. She shrugs and raises the beer to him then looks out at the desert. They sit there in silence, not a word passing between them, while the sky passes through the brilliance of a desert sunset and the air grows cool, until Mitch finishes the last beer from the cooler.

"Reckon I can take you back to camp after all," he says as he lights a cigarette. They don't speak on the drive back to camp either.

After all her time at Arasaka, all the meetings and talking and bullshit and subterfuge, after living and working with Jackie, sitting with someone in companionable silence is a rare treat.

When Mitch kills the ignition but makes no move to exit the Colby, she also remains in her seat, still silent. What she wouldn’t have given for someone to sit with her in silence while she mourned Jackie. To simply not be alone in her grief. Perhaps that's why she's here. To atone for her part in Scorpion's death.

He looks at her finally when he speaks, his voice quiet. “Guess I needed the company after all. Thanks, V.”

“It’s Valerie,” she says by reflex, then shakes her head. “Sorry, bad habit.”

“Hell, why didn’t you say something sooner?”

She shrugs. “Also habit. Got the nickname from... a friend. Hate it but it stuck.”

One side of his mouth lifts in a sad smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Well then, thank you, Valerie.”

“You’re welcome, Mitch,” she says, returning the smile and reaching over to squeeze his hand.

Turns out these are good for the writer's block. Still accepting asks for the Core Meme-ory game! Still have a couple more for Mitch even 😏

[visions-dreamers]

Hell, Iridescent

By LushDanielSon

December 15, 2020 0429

I was living in a relatable and uneasy world: school was mediocre, work was unfulfilling, I was struggling to make a love life, and family conflicts prevented most happiness in our lives together; body cyber-enhancements were commonplace; conflict plagued the streets, and a plague had plagued the streets; the country's politicians were at a loss of any agreements, and the world-wide civilization seemed at a loss of any agreements.

I was visiting the city, enjoying the sun with my ill grandma, Baledona*, my unusually amplified, sober and progressive mother, my laughable, young sister, and our pet, Richard, who was a strange animal - sort of like a cross between a cat, squirrel, and raccoon. Conversing outside their apartment complex in their neighborhood square where the garden was, we stood among a few trees and flowers. Upon discovery, I was not thrilled that my sister had ordered a 50-pound plushie Pokeball and a pair of shoes off my phone, which I had just noticed from an email. I didn't even know if she knew that she had bought them. My girlfriend, Dajita* - one of the cocktail waitresses - thusly walked past us all and she and I smiled at each other as she headed to the bar that was about to open nearby. I picked up my sister, who was almost too big to be held - though I promised myself that I will always be strong enough to be able to - and I stared into her eyes and examined her playful attempt at makeup detail.

“Christmas is coming soon, and if you like what you ordered, that's what you are going to get.” She understood my joke and chuckled.

The sun was rising over the valley, and a new type of day was to begin and change our lives forever.

I was partaking in a raid which I was summoned to. A gang of thugs was terrorizing a local business, and I was professionally tasked to help them as the first line of rescue. Past the calamity of evacuation and avoiding a hoard of their guards, I entered the main stage room on a high floor of the building where three intruders were shaking down and interrogating the company’s head boss. I snuck up and grabbed one of them from the back in a chokehold after sonically disabling his auditory systems. A speedy cybernetic fistfight ensued between the culprits and me! When guns were finally drawn by them, I bailed before they had the chance to open fire on me. My intervention only needed to give the hostages enough time to escape.

From a dead sprint I slid across the gravel outside, far away from the building, and sat up against a police cruiser. Taking this cover, I was safely hidden next to a hoard of rescue and police vehicles that were rushing to the burning scene. There was a pandemonium of screaming, fleeing business people and emergency staff. The boss I had saved collapsed next to me, quickly thanking me for helping him see his kids again. We gazed at each other's eyes for a few moments, and amid the rush and noise he ran away to be with his family. I lay there in the churned gravel, observing the SWAT team line up and begin their offensive into the building.

The world seemed to melt away in front of my eyes - an unreal distortion of the reality I once thought I knew. I was carried - on what seemed like a platform - from where I was, in a spectating manner, past the raid I had just escaped from. Past blocks of towering concrete city residentials to more open plains, I was carried towards a row of fighter jets that were neatly lined up and facing away from me on the outskirts of a train yard. A crowd of people, scurrying like ants, crowded behind them. { Censored *1} I had no choice but to helplessly witness this, and I was filled with the intensity of grief, anger, and madness!

I was carried higher, and I was delicately turned so I could have a panoramic view of this realm. The grassy freeway beneath me held long columns of unmoving vehicles, the lake glistened and lined lush mountainous plains to the right, and to the left I was captured by a hellscape of the city I once knew - a city born in front of a wall of mountains. I gasped! I froze. My eyes widened, and I became weak and breathless. Hell seemed to pall in the sky above the metropolis, and it rained down souls of insanity and mutation. Even the buildings themselves were morphing into something unknown and grotesque to me - rusting into an atramentous city. I then noticed the movement of people far below me on the freeway running from it like dark sand grains sliding down a fiery volcanic slope. From what was in this curse of ruin, I did not know, but I heard the screaming of monsters.

I was devastated from this observation of the end of the life I had just lived, and I worried greatly about my sister somewhere out there in the smoke. I wondered what was to come of me - of us - and why I was spared from the direct immersion of the fallout of this civilization. I lied down and cried myself to sleep on the metallic platform guiding me through the cataclysm.

I awoke, and my shifting perspective had taken me south, long past the city valley and into a whole new world. It was iridescent, warm and radiant. Though I had just seen my whole origin become cancerous and die, I was not burdened by fear - just grief. But this place seemed entirely untouched and safe. I drifted amidst castles, dancing trees, arching rainbows, colorful gardens, brave animals, cozy village homes, and finally down stone alleys. I spread out my arms and felt the walls as I was lowered to a gate in front of a palace fit for royalty. My spectating had finally come to a stop.

"I can feel EVERYTHING! It's all REAL!" I accepted this presentness of lucidity, and I took my time to ground myself within it. Touching the stone architecture of the gated area, I closely examined the sharp, volcanic texture. The stone’s jagged, porous surfaces scraped against the skin of my fingerprints similar as the bare, ancient desert mountains I have climbed over the years would. As if they were of the same serrating rock, this sensation brought forth memories of more pleasant times.

I dismounted the metallic platform and sauntered through a grand, polished bronze gate. This led to a wide and tall, open room with an exotically designed pond that was stocked with colorful fish and small islands. Rows of flourishing plants and marble benches decorated the hall, and large, ornate windows flooded the room with sunlight.

I was curiously identifying a fish when I heard the familiar cry of my dear pet Richard! Quickly he scuttled up next to me, jumping into my arms. We nearly cried together because we knew we were safe there, finally knowing someone we love is found. We were embracing each other, like a master and companion reuniting after years apart - except it was only moments. Droplets formed in my eyes as Richard made his enchanting little animal sounds of joy, wagging his tail and burying his face in my chest.

He abruptly halted his celebration and stared up at me, and in my disbelief, he SPOKE to me. His brown eyes stared distantly into mine, as if he was overtaken by the memory of something vitally important.

“The one you are looking for is right around the corner in the ballroom. His name is Santa. There is hope in finding our sister! She is alive in the city, and you need his guidance! Your sister needs your help, Daniel!”

A wave of emotions devoured me, and I became immobile and speechless for a moment. The reality of the disaster had returned to me. I delicately set Richard down onto the tile and turned around to where he glanced. He hastened through the archway into another room such as this, which was now growing with buzzing, disembodied voices. I followed, anxiously feeling the first steps towards what I knew was to be a living hell - the journey to save my sister.

Censors

* Names changed for privacy

*1 - Censored for Graphic Imagery

Links

Atrium Carceri & Cities Last Broadcast   -   An Atramentous City   -   YouTube

[emmg]

No but like this is so funny to me because can you imagine the goddamn interaction?

Alright, so let’s crank this cringe all the way up to 11.

So, picture this: it’s another miserable night at Sharess’ Caress, and the poor server—let’s call her Ella because it feels like she deserves a backstory—is just trying to get through her shift without a patron slapping her ass or asking her to "serve something a little stronger." She’s been on her feet for hours, her tray is loaded with whiskey, and there’s Raphael, lounging at his table like he owns the damn place. His shirt’s half unbuttoned (because of course it is), and he’s radiating that I’m a devil, and I know it vibe, which is equal parts seductive and nauseating.

Ella’s like, "Okay, okay, he’s terrifying, but he’s hot, and I’m working in a brothel, so let’s just roll with it. Maybe he’ll tip well." But little does she know—she’s about to experience the single most mortifying moment of her entire career.

She sets down the drink, does the polite server smile, hoping to slip away unscathed. But Raphael, in full-on cringetastic form, pulls out this absurdly large velvet pouch. You know, the kind that jingles so loudly it might as well be screaming LOOK AT ME, I HAVE MONEY AND ZERO SELF-AWARENESS. He doesn’t just hand it to her—no, he dumps the coins on the table. One thousand gold. Like this man just casually carries a king’s ransom around for his casual dining expenses.

He's basically a sugar daddy too lazy to count.

Ella’s standing there, completely stunned. "Is this real? Do I pick it up? Is this a bribe? Am I being bought right now?" And then the note appears.

Raphael, because he’s Raphael, slides this neatly folded piece of parchment across the table, like it’s a secret royal missive. You know he spent way too much time perfecting his handwriting, probably sitting in front of a candle, doing one of those dramatic quill dips in the ink, thinking, This is it. This is my moment.

Ella, poor thing, picks up the note, already suspicious. Because why would someone who just dropped 1,000 gold coins also leave a note? She opens it, and because she’s one of those unfortunate souls blessed with literacy in this medieval society, she reads the words no mortal—or immortal—woman should ever have to endure: “Beautiful nipples, princess.”

Her internal monologue? Full-on DEFCON 1. "Did this man just—what? Beautiful... nipples? Princess?! I WORK IN A BROTHEL. WHERE IS THE ROYALTY COMING FROM?"

But she has to keep it together because there’s 1,000 gold staring her in the face, and sometimes life just makes you endure the worst things for a ridiculous paycheck. So she gives him this tight-lipped, please-for-the-love-of-all-that’s-holy-let-this-end-now smile and stammers, “Uh... thank you, sir?”—because what the hell else is she supposed to say? Thank you for noticing my nipples?

And Raphael, because he’s the actual embodiment of cringe, leans back, gives her that sleazy devil grin like he’s Casanova reincarnated, and says, “Truly, you deserve it.”

Deserve... what exactly? The 1,000 gold? The awkward compliment? The soul-crushing embarrassment of being called princess while working at Sharess’ Caress, of all places? She doesn’t know, and frankly, she doesn’t want to know.

But Raphael isn’t done. Oh no. He winks. Again. And it’s the kind of wink that physically hurts to witness, the kind that makes your skin crawl and makes you wish you could erase the last five minutes of your life. And then—oh gods, brace yourself—he does the finger gun and finger wave combo. The ultimate creepy uncle move. Like, did this man attend the Academy of Being an Absolute Tool?

Ella’s entire soul leaves her body at this point. She’s mentally checked out, but the coins are still there, and she’s thinking, "I’m quitting tomorrow. I’m taking this money, buying a plot of land in the middle of nowhere, raising goats, and never speaking to another living being again. Because ain’t nobody recovering from a compliment about their nipples delivered in this context."

Meanwhile, Raphael’s sitting there, fully convinced that he just performed a grand act of chivalry. In his head, he’s probably like, "Ah yes, another woman dazzled by my generosity and wit. Truly, I am a paragon of charm." He’s probably already planning his next outing—next time, I’ll leave 2,000 gold and a note that says ‘Stunning ankles, your highness.’

And the best part? He’s completely oblivious to how deeply disturbing this whole interaction was. He’s sitting there, flicking a gold coin into the air for maximum dramatic flair, grinning like he just unlocked the secret to seduction. Meanwhile, Ella’s booking a one-way ticket to anywhere but here in her mind.

But wait, it gets worse. The other servers, they see this. They hear it. And you just know there’s a betting pool forming in the back. “So, how much do we think he tips next time? 5,000 gold for ‘stunning earlobes, duchess’?”

THIS IS LITERALLY HIM HIS CRINGEFAIL ASS PROBABLY DOES THIS EVERYDAY LIKE "THE MASTER"????

(raphael pic credit @ Nutellafuchs on X)

[mint-moon25]

FUTURE - YOUTUBE - CHANNEL - I'M - PERFECTING -

RELOCATION - SPECIALIST - BASED - ON - COMEDY -

1 MIN - ADULT MOMENT - DANIEL HENNEY - ACTOR -

2 - BAD - COULD HAVE - BEEN - FAMILY - COMEDY -

ROMANCE - 'SHANGHAI - CALLING' - CHINA - DVD -

(+$5) - NO - AUTO - REPEAT - BLOND - GIRL - LEAD -

OF - FILM - THAT - WE SHE - DOES - SHANGHAI CN -

HIRING MANY - RELOCATION - SPECIALISTS - NOT -

JUST - WHERE - 2 - EAT - BUT - WHERE - 2 - GO -

OTHERS - THINGS - 2 - DO - WHAT MAKES OUR -

CITIES - SPECIAL - FOUND BETTER - CHEAPER -

WATERPROOF - NON-SEE - THRU - BAGS ALSO -

20L - NOT - SAME - SIZE - 4 - ALL HERE LARGE -

20 INCH - LENGTH - WIDTH - BOTTOM - 10 INCH -

$17.99 - AND - RARE - CAN - CARRY - BY - HAND -

DIFFERENT - WAYS - 4 - SHOULDERS - 1 SIDE OR -

BOTH - SIDES - WATERPROOF - IMPORTANT -

NEED - 2 - SHARE - ALSO - 4 - COMPUTERS -

U - WANT - 2 - SLEEP - BUT - LIBRARY - AND -

PUBLIC - PARKS - SINCE - THEY'RE - NOT -

SLEEPING - AS - WORKERS - NEITHER YES -

CAN - U - SPANISH - SPEAKING COUNTRIES -

SIESTA - WHAT THEY - HAVE - IN COMMON -

THEY - SLEEP - AFTERNOON - MANY - HRS -

2 - WAKE - UP - LATE - DINNER - BEGINS -

6P - BUT - ALL - AWAKE - EVEN - AT - 2 A -

SPAIN - OTHER - THAN - HOTELS - EVEN -

GROCERY - CLOSED - AFTERNOONS YES -

DURING - SIESTA - HOW - INCONVENIENT -

4 FOREIGNERS - TERRI SAVELLE FOY -

'TAKES - 3 WEEKS - OR - 21 DAYS - TO -

ESTABLISH - ROUTINE' - 21 DAYS - TO -

BREAK - BAD - HABITS - CREATE NEW -

ONES - YOU'RE - SO - HUNGRY LUNCH -

TIME - BUT - ALL - SLEEPING - SO - U -

ORDERED - ROOM - SERVICE - VERY -

EXPENSIVE - THUS - EVENING - THE -

GROCERY - OPEN - AS - THEY - YES -

BOUGHT - 4 - THE - NEXT - DAY - AS -

THEY - SHOPPED - AT - MALL - YES -

NIGHT - TIME - HOW - UNUSUAL - 4 -

ALL - OF - US - THEN - IN - HOTEL U -

SLEPT - AFTERNOON - THEY - AS -

SPANISH - SLEEP - EVERYWHERE -

PARKS - ON - THEIR - PURSES AS -

SITTING IN - PARKS - THEY SLEPT -

SITTING - 4 - THE - WEATHER AND -

AIR CONDITIONING - MOST - EXPENSIVE -

REASON - 4 - ELECTRICITY - BILLS BEING -

HIGH - PARK - TIME - JUST - ELECTRIC -

FANS - IN - THEIR - HOUSES - WHEN SP -

SPANISH - GO - HOME - THEN - THE AC -

IS - TURNED - ON - WHY - IN - PARKS AS -

ELECTRICITY - BILLS - LOWER - PLUS -

LIKE - ME - I - USED - ELECTRIC FANS -

INSIDE - 2 - INCREASE TEMPERATURE -

COLD - ELECTRIC - FANS - LESS NEED -

4 - COOLER - TEMPERATURES - THUS I -

SAVED - ON - ELECTRIC - BILLS - ALSO -

GOING - 2 - SUBMIT - I'M - HOMELESS -

WITH - EBT - FOOD - STAMPS - LET's -

SEE - HOW - MUCH - I'M - GETTING -

THUS - PAPERLESS - BECAUSE I'M -

HOMELESS - INFO - BY - EMAIL XO -

WHICH - THEY'E - NOT - DONE - SO -

CALLED - NEAR - BRICKELL STATION -

OPEN - PHONE - BUSINESS - TOLL XO -

FREE - $17 - TOOK - 15 MAY - FINALLY -

NOT - 14TH - VIRTUAL - ASSISTANT -

FEMALE - MY ANSWERING - VOICE -

LOVE - HER - VOICE - SO - PRO YES -

WITH - MY - TOLLFREE - LOVING IT -

GOT - MY - REFUND - OF - WILDLIFE -

FOOD - $10.10 - WITH - TAX - ON THE -

AMAZON - GIFT CARD - NOT 2/3 HRS -

MAYBE - AFTER - 1 HR - I - DIDN'T -

BELIEVE - SOONER - SO - I'M YES -

ORDERING - MARUCHAN - BEEF -

NOODLES - VEGETABLES ALSO -

ADD - HOT - WATER - TOTAL -

12 - FOR - $4.62 - AND - EBT -

GETTING - 24 - HUB LOCKER -

LA FITNESS - 2ND - FLOOR 2 -

YESTERDAY - ATE - 6 CHOCOLATE -

DONUTS - PUBLIX - $3.99 - THAT's -

IT - RAN - OUT - OF - CRYSTAL - LT -

LIGHT - SWEET - TEA - BUT - GOT -

MY - VEGAN - HYDRATION STUFF -

THAT - WILL - B - MY - FOOD FOR -

TODAY - 4 - KICKED - OUT - OF -

GOV'T - CENTER - THEY - YES -

REMOVED - OUR - FOOD - SUPPLY -

BUT - THEY - PLANTED - SO - AS -

WE - FIRE - ALL - POLICE - FR 50 -

STATES - REMOVED - OF - HAND -

CUFFS - FIREARMS - WITH - YES -

SEVERENCE - PAY - CRIMINAL -

RECORD -

PLEASE - APPLY - 4 - ADDITIONAL -

MILITARY - FORCE - MILITARY YES -

WEAPONS - FULLY - AUTO - STRAP -

MACHINE - GUNS - LIGHTWEIGHT -

LESS - THAN - TIC TAC - SIZE YES -

BULLETS - HIGHER - WAGER PER -

HOUR - 30 MIN - LUNCH

5 CONSECUTIVE - DAYS

THEY - ALSO - MUST - OBEY - THE -

TRAFFIC - LAWS - REMOVING - AX -

FR - FIREMEN - ALSO - THEY WILL -

B - USING - AIR - NOT - WATER - 2 -

END - FIRE - LIKE - EUROPE - FOR -

IN - MY - COUNTRY - WE - USE AIR -

NOT - WATER - IN - RICH - AREAS -

LIKE - MAKATI - PHILIPPINES - PH -

SO - USING - INFLATABLE - NECK -

AND - STRAP - THIGHS - WHAT TO -

WEAR - 2 - SLEEP - SIDEWAYS - AT -

R SIDE - CAN - BREATHE - BETTER -

SIDE - SLEEPING - BRAIN - CAN -

FUNCTION - BETTER - WHILE U -

ARE - SLEEPING - VERY ACTIVE -

THEN - ONLY - SIDE - SLEEPERS -

INCREASE - BRAIN - HEALTH -

AND - BRAIN - CAN B ACTIVE -

DURING - SLEEPING - SWEET

DESKTOP - DOWNLOAD - FREE - LIGHTSHOT -

SCREEN - CAPTURE - THIGHS - STRAP - GET -

NECK - PILLOW - WHILE - SLEEPING - SITT'G -

DOWN - BOTH - END - PAIN - OF - LOWER -

BACK - SHOULDERS - HIPS - ALSO - WITH -

NO NECK - PILLOW - YOU'RE - ALWAYS -

HEAD - GOING - DOWN - THAT's - VERY -

DANGEROUS - NECK - PILLOW - STOPS -

THAT - ALSO - WHILE - WORKING - PC -

STOPS - SLEEPINESS - ALSO - SO YOU -

CAN - CONCENTRATE - BETTER - ADD -

SHEA MOISTURE - VOLUMIZING - YES -

MOUSE - MY - FAVORITE - SUPER HAI -

EXPENSIVE - RIGHT - NOW - SO - I'M -

TRYING - THIS - INSTEAD - LOVE - AS -

SHEA WHITNEY - KRISTEN McGOWAN -

WHEN - THEY - SHARE - AMAZON - US -

STUFF - NON-SPONSORED - HOW -

ABOUT - THIS - WHAT - THEY - DO -

RELOCATION - SPECIALTY

I'M - HIRING - BOTH - 2 YES - SHOP -

AMAZON - WHAT - I'M - LOOKING 4 -

PAYING - THEM - PER - HOUR - AND -

PAYING - 4 - THE - PRODUCTS

KRISTEN - AND - DIY MOMMY - OF -

CANADA - LOVE - IKEA - WILL PAY -

BOTH - ALSO - PER - HOUR - 2 BUY -

AT - IKEA - AND - PAY - THE - IKEA -

PRODUCTS - WITH - KRISTEN AND -

DIY - MEANING - MORE - PLACES 2 -

GO 2 - THEY - WILL - NEED -

STUDIOS - 2 - SHOWCASE WHAT -

THEY - BOUGHT - FR - CANADA's -

IKEA - SO - BUYING CASTLES - FR -

CANADA - FORGOT - WHERE -

KRISTEN McGOWAN - IS BUT -

LOOKS - LIKE - FOR -

GBC - TV STUDIOS -

AS - KRISTEN McGOWAN - DESIGNS -

A - BEDROOM - A - KITCHEN - WITH -

AMAZON - PRODUCTS - IKEA - YES -

PRODUCTS - WE - CAN - PROVIDE -

CREW - BUT - FOUND - OUT THAT -

KRISTEN - IS - CANADIAN - ALSO -

AMAZING - MOST - LIKELY LIVES -

IN - CANADA - BUT - SHE - DID -

MENTION - MANHATTAN - NY -

BUT MAYBE - LAKE HOUSE IN -

CANADA - SO - EITHER - NEW -

YORK - OR - CANADA - WILL -

STILL - WORK - SO - HOPE 2 -

MEET - HER - DIY MOMMY - PAY -

BOTH - PER - HOUR - AND 2 BUY -

DECORATE - PLACES - IN - MY -

CASTLES - FR - WHAT BOUGHT -

AT - AMAZON - AND - IKEA - SO -

THIS - CAN - B - AMAZING - AS -

BIBLE - 'MONEY ANSWERS ALL' -

RELOCATION - SPECIALTY

RELOCATION - SPECIALISTS

OUR - COUNTRIES OF BIRTH

WE'LL - GO - FROM - THERE

EARLY - THIS - MORNING - LIKE

5A - OR - 4:45A - 2 - ASK - ME IF

I - NEED - MONEY - I - SAID - ME

RECEIVES - SOCIAL - SECURITY

DISABILITY - I - HAVE - MONEY

BUT - RIGHT - NOW - I HAVEN'T

EATEN - THIS - DAY - MONDAY

YESTERDAY - SUNDAY - MOM'S - DAY -

4 - BEEF - EMPANADAS - BOUGHT - 4 -

ME - HISPANIC - MALE - GAVE ME - $5 -

4 - COFFEE - BOUGHT - 6 CHOCOLATE -

DONUTS - INSTEAD - WITH - PUBLIX -

$1 - TALL - NATURAL SPRING WATER -

TODAY - HAVEN'T - EATEN - THUS IT -

LOOKS - LIKE - JUST - HYDRATION -

POWDERS - BUT - INTERMITTENT -

FASTING - HAS - CHANGED - ME -

I'M - NO - LONGER - LONGING - 4 -

FOOD - NOT - NEEDY - I - WATCH -

RAINA - AND - ROCKSTAR EATER -

THEY'RE - MY - FOOD - I - USED 2 -

B - SO - HUNGRY - ALL THE TIME -

GAINED - WEIGHT - NO - THAT - I -

ATE - ONCE - 12P - 6P - DAILY IT -

HAS - CHANGED - ME - I'M - NO -

LONGER - DESPERATELY - HUNGRY -

ANYMORE - 3 WEEKS - AND - I'M XO -

VERY - SATISFIED - HAVEN'T EATEN -

SINCE - 6P EDT - YESTERDAY - I'M XO -

MORE - THAN - FINE - LOVE - LOVE -

INTERMITTENT FASTING - BRICKELL -

CITY - CENTRE - MALLS - IN FLORIDA -

LESS THAN - 1 HOUR - AND - ONLY -

ONCE - IN - MALLS - LAW - OF - FL -

STATES - BODY LOITERING - AS -

HOMELESS - ESPECIALY - BODY -

LOITERING - IN - PRIVATE - FLORIDA -

PROPERTIES - NON-OPEN - CARRY & -

27TH - US - STATE - TEXAS - 28TH - & -

OPEN - CARRY - 31ST - CALIFORNIA -

AS - NO - LONGER - SLAVES - STATE -

INDEPENDENT - DEMOCRATIC - PARTY

50 STATES

BY - INTERNET - BRINGING - YOU - THE -

BEST - OF - THE - BEST

VALENTINO

CHANNEL

LOUIS VUITTON

CHRISTIAN DIOR

MOST - EXCLUSIVE - MODELS

RUNWAYS - INTERVIEWS - AS

WE - ALSO - HAVE - AUTHENTIC

SIGNED - CERTIFICATES - FROM

COUTURE - DESIGNERS

FREE - NEXT - DAY

BUT - HDG - BANKS - OFFERING

HDG - BUYERS - APP - FREE

DESIGNERS - COUTURE

ART - MUSIC - HISTORY

WE - BUY - BACK - BY - MONEY

MARKET - OR - AMOUT - PAID

WHATEVER - IS - HIGHER TAX

PAID - INCLUDING - JEWELRY

SO - WHEN - TIME - 2 - SELL U

NEED - MONEY - WE WILL BUY

WHAT - WE - SOLD - YOU - YES

HDG - BUYS - APP - FREE

U - BOUGHT - MICROWAVES

SMEG - REFRIGERATOR AND

SMALL - APPLIANCES - WASHERS

DRYERS - SODA - REFRIGERATORS

WE'LL - BUY - THEM - BACK SAME

MONEY - MARKE - OR - AMOUNT

U - PAID - TAX - PAID - FREE 24/7

PICK UP - FULLY - UNIFORMED &

WHITE - GLOVES - BECAUSE -

DECLUTTERING - IS - WILDLY -

EXCITING - MONEY - BACK - 2 -

LIFE - IS - EATING - EATING - & -

ENJOYING - OUR - HEALTH - & -

WELLBEING - DECLUTTERING -

WONDERFULLY - UPLIFTING & -

CLEAN - AND - MORE - SPACE -

IS - BLISS - MODERN - LIVING -

MODERN - SPACING - ITS YES -

EXCITING - COMING - IS - HAI -

MORE - INTERNET - THAN -

EXPENSIVE SHOP'G MALLS -

BUILDING - NEXT - 2 EMPTY -

LOT - IS - BUILDING OF YES -

CHASE - BANK - THEY CAN -

TRANSFER - 2 - MARY BRICKELL -

VILLAGE - NO - PROBLEM - ALSO -

MAGIC - KINGDOM - MEDICAL -

CENTERS - VARIOUS - AGES AS -

WE - BUY - SW 7 ST - SMALL FL -

STORES - AND - PARKING - LOT -

MAKE - A - TALLER - BETTER FL -

OUTDOOR - MALL - NO - TEENS -

KIDS - 12 AND YOUNGER - AND -

18 AND OLDER - SOUNDPROOFED -

PER - FLOOR - RED - PANDA - AS A -

BIG - PLUSH - DELIGHTING - KIDS -

AND - PREGNANT - FEMALES - I'M -

2 - MALE - TWINS - 2ND MARRIAGE -

BABY - BOY - AND - IT - AFFECTED -

MY - PREGNANCY - STRONG MALE -

TEENS - OF - SPANISH - SPEAKING -

AFFECTED ME - AND - I - LOST MY -

DONATED - BOTTLE - BABY - BOY -

06 APRIL 2023 - BUT - APP - SAID -

2ND - FINGER - 40 BOYS - LEFT 4 -

ME - B 4 - AGE 80 - SO - I'M - NOT -

SCARED - MALE TWINS - ALSO -

INCLUDED - IN - THAT - COUNT -

LIKE - SEOUL - KOREA - INTRODUCING -

EMBLEMS - NECKLACES - BRACELETS -

4 - PREGNANT - FEMALES - THE COUNT -

OR - NO - COUNT - SO - WE - WILL - YES -

RECOGNIZE - MONTHS OF PREGNANCY -

TALL - OUTDOOR - SHOPPING - MALL -

COMING - THERE - 24/7 - WE - WILL FL -

BANCRUPT - BRICKELL - CITY CENTRE -

THEY'RE - SECURITY - EMPLOYEES -

WILL - NOT - B - ALLOWED - OUR FL -

MALL - ELECTRONICALLY - WE WILL -

CONTROL - THEM - SO - THEY WON'T -

COME - NEAR - PUSH - CARTS - ARE -

FREE - FOODS - FREE - DRINKS FREE -

ICE CREAM - FREE - DESSERTS - TOO -

EACH - FLOOR - FREE - PUSH CARTS -

2 - DELIGHT - EVERYONE - LOTS - OF -

FREE - FOODS - DRINKS

FREE - BALLET - CLASSES

FREE - KIDS - TUTORS

FREE - COLLEGE - TUTORS

24/7 - HOLIDAYS

OUTDOOR - MALL - ESCALATORS -

ELEVATORS - INN - GROCERIES 2 -

AGE 12 AND YOUNGER

AGE 18 AND OLDER

DISNEY - PIXAR - MASCOT

'TURNING - RED' - THE CA

CANADIAN - CHINESE AND

THE - RED - PANDA - PLUSH - ALL

FLOORS - 4 - KIDS - PREGNANT 2

K POP - FLOOR - ALSO - 4 - STORES

CAFES - GRILLS - READY - 4 - WHEN

WE - INVITE - 4 - SMALL - CONCERTS

0400 - 4A - 0500 - 5A - 0600 - 6A

1 HR - FREE - BUFFET - 4 - TICKET

HOLDERS - ALL SHOPS OF FLOOR

OPEN - BUFFET - DURING - STAGE

SHOW - WHILE - PERFORMING - A

NO-SOUND - FIREWORKS DISPLAY

30 MIN - VERY - SHORT CONCERT

STARS - STAYING - IN - OUR - INN

INSIDE - AS - THEY - FINISH SOON

BUFFET - CONTINUOUS AFTER AS

SHOPS - REMAIN - OPEN 4 AWHILE

STORES - FILLED - WITH - ITEMS FR

STARS - CLOTHES - 2 - CHANGE - TO

SHOES - MORE - 2 B - WELL DRESSED

K POP - FLOOR - 4 - PERFORMANCES

MORE - BEHAVED - FANS - 19 AND

OLDER - KOREAN - DRINKING YES

AGE - HONORED - ALCOHOL - WILL

BE - SERVED - LIGHT - SOJU - LOW

CALORIES - COCKTAILS - THE BEST

NO - NATION - WILL - BIND - US YES

ILLEGALLY - WITH - THEIR - LAWS

'IMMUNITY - OF - CITIZENS' - USA

SO - WE - DON'T - NEED - FLORIDA

MALLS - SKIPING - DOLPHIN - MALL

NEXT - 2 - MIAMI's - IKEA - JUST YES

DOING - THEM - NEVER - RETURN'G

2 - AVENTURA - MALL - BECAUSE IT

IS BODY - LOITERING AS HOMELESS

JESUS - IS - LORD

2023 - YEAR - OF - THE - MAXIMUM

ALL - LEVELS - ATTAINABLE - NICE

DR JERRY SAVELLE

[lunadei]

Imagine if Y/n bought Marc a Teddy to sleep with?

an: Omg can you imagine though? Like I can absolutely picture Steven accepting a Teddy from you, but Marc? I just had to write a little drabble :)

When Marc confided in you about his night terrors - a common trait shared by both him and Steven - you were unsettled to say the least. Marc was the tough one. Though anger often seeped through the cracks of his well-composed façade, he rarely conveyed the struggles which plagued his troubled mind. It was disconcerting to know the nights he spent without you in his arms were restless, daunting.

Perhaps it was the feeling of helplessness when you considered Marc's circumstances that spurred you to purchase the Teddy.

It was light yellow, made to look more like a little dog with a white stripe down its snout- reminiscent of the one Steven told you he'd cherished growing up. It was adorable. And while you were certain Steven would appreciate the sentiment, you worried Marc would find it absurd.

Not wanting Marc to think you were still dwelling on his turmoil, you had presented the teddy as somewhat of a joke.

"You know, I thought you could use a partner for your little escapades," you teased, presenting him with the teddy. You chose not to mention its connection to his past, considering his recollection of childhood was not as stellar as Steven's. "You know, someone to keep you warm at night when I can't."

A familiar, somber look passed over his face. For a moment, you feared the gift had provoked some horrible memory. Before you could snatch the gift from his hand and apologize profusely, a soft chuckle escaped from his lips.

"I mean, you could have just gotten me a sex doll if you're worried about me staying warm on my lonesome." You punched his shoulder, uttering a 'ew, mark!' before being swept into his arms. The teddy was forgotten on the flat's floor as Marc carried you to the bedroom.

It wasn't until several weeks later, after Marc returned from a particularly brutal mission, that you praised your purchase of the little stuffed dog.

Marc had texted you that he was home safe - a sign that he was utterly exhausted. Usually, he would already be at your apartment, pinning you against your worn mattress to release the remaining pent up adrenaline. Allowing him to rest, you elected to go to his flat, deciding would make him a home cooked meal while he slept.

As soon as you entered his humble abode, you could barely contain your surprised gasp. There, curled up on the couch with the little dog nestled between his arms, was Marc.

You tried to contain your laughter, truly you did. But the giggles bubbled out of you before you could register their intensity in the otherwise silent space. Marc's eyes fluttered open, scrambling from his position to stand alert, one hand still holding onto the teddy as if to throw it at you.

"Jesus, Y/n," he bellowed, dropping the teddy to his side. "You scared the shit out of me."

"Yeah, I see you pulled out the big guns to fight the possible intruder." You pointed to the dog, noting his sheepish expression.

"No, no no, listen," he shook his head rapidly, throwing the stuffed dog onto the couch as if it were toxic. "Steven fell asleep with that, alright? And it was the closest thing to me. And I woke up out of a dead sleep. Not exactly a great combo."

"Uh-huh, sure, Marc," you teased, watching his eyes roll at your condescending tone. "I definitely believe you. Scout's honor."

"Oh, that's it. C'mere!" He jolted toward you, stalking after you as you raced away from his grip.

"See, told you the teddy was better than the sex doll," you shouted, furiously laughing as he chased you around the flat.